16.12.2006   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 310/1

Reference for a preliminary ruling from the Raad van State (Netherlands) lodged on 18 September 2006 — Vereniging Nationaal Overlegorgaan Sociale Werkvoorziening v Minister van Sociale Zaken en Werkgelegenheid

(Case C-383/06)

(2006/C 310/03)

Language of the case: Dutch

Referring court

Raad van State (Netherlands)

Parties to the main proceedings

Applicant: Vereniging Nationaal Overlegorgaan Sociale Werkvoorziening

Defendant: Minister van Sociale Zaken en Werkgelegenheid

Question(s) referred

1.

a)

Can a Member State or an administrative authority of that State derive a power directly — that is to say without a basis in national law — from a regulation?

b)

If so, does Article 23(1) of Regulation No 4253/88 (1) of 19 December 1988 laying down provisions for implementing Regulation No 2052/88 as regards coordination of the activities of the different Structural Funds between themselves and with the operations of the European Investment Bank and the other existing financial instruments, as amended by Regulation No 2082/93 (‘the coordination regulation’), confer the power, having regard to the fixing of the subsidy, to recover amounts of subsidy unduly paid, on the basis that Article 23 of the coordination regulation requires the Member States to do so where there is irregularity or negligence within the meaning of that article?

2.

If not, does Article 10 EC, read in conjunction with Article 249 thereof, mean that a national provision such as Article 4.57 of the Algemene Wet Bestuursrecht (General Law on Administrative Law) — under which amounts of subsidy or advances unduly paid may be recovered — must be interpreted in conformity with the regulation?

3.

If so, is that interpretation limited by general legal principles which form part of Community law, in particular the principles of legal certainty and the protection of legitimate expectations?

4.

a)

If the answer to the third question is in the affirmative, the question arises in relation to that limitation whether national principles of legal certainty and the protection of legitimate expectations can be more far-reaching than general principles of Community law, especially the principles of legal certainty and the protection of legitimate interests which are to be complied with when applying the coordination regulation.

b)

In applying the Community legal principles of legal certainty and legitimate expectations, is it of significance that the Member State granting the subsidy is itself responsible for the fact that the subsidy recipient has failed to fulfil the subsidy obligations which flow from the relevant part of Community law?

(1)  OJ L 374, p. 1.

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