C-242/94

JUDGMENT OF 12. 10. 1995 — CASE C-242/94

J U D G M E N T O F THE C O U R T (Sixth Chamber) 12 October 1995"

In Case C-242/94,

Commission of the European Communities, represented by Dimitrios Goulous- sis, Legal Adviser, and E Enrique Gonzalez Diaz, of the Legal Service, acting as Agents, with an address for service in Luxembourg at the office of Carlos Gómez de la Cruz, of the Legal Service, Wagner Centre, Kirchberg,

applicant,

v

the coordination of laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating t o direct life insurance, laying down provisions to facilitate the effective exercise of freedom to provide services and amending Directive 79/267/EEC (OJ 1990 L 330, p. 50), the Kingdom of Spain has failed to fulfil its obligations under the E C Treaty,

T H E C O U R T (Sixth Chamber),

composed of: G. Hirsch, President of the Second Chamber acting for the President of the Sixth Chamber, G. F. Mancini (Rapporteur), F. A. Schockweiler, J. L. Mur- ray and H . Ragnemalm, Judges,

Advocate General: C. O. Lenz, Registrar: R. Grass,

having regard to the report of the Judge-Rapporteur,

after hearing the Opinion of the Advocate General at the sitting on 13 July 1995,

2 The first paragraph of Article 30 of Council Directive 90/619 provides that Mem- ber States are to take the measures necessary to comply with the directive within 24 months of the date of its notification — which was on 20 November 1990 — and to inform the Commission thereof forthwith.

3 O n 21 December 1992, not having been informed by the Kingdom of Spain that the directive had been transposed into its national law, the Commission sent a let- ter of formal notice. O n 15 February 1994, no answer having been received to that letter, it delivered a reasoned opinion requesting the Kingdom of Spain to take the measures necessary to comply with the directive within two months. The King- dom of Spain did not respond to that reasoned opinion either. The Commission therefore brought the present action. In its application, it points out that, in accordance with Article 189 of the Treaty, a directive is binding, as to the result to be achieved, upon each Member State to which it is addressed.

4 The Spanish Government claims that work is proceeding on a draft law for the transposition of Council Directive 90/619. Furthermore, it says, the Directorate- General of Insurance has drawn up an administrative document, referred to as a 'Protocol', intended to ensure that Directive 90/619 is applied in practice even before it is formally incorporated into Spanish law.

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COMMISSION v SPAIN

5 It must first be stated in that regard that the Kingdom of Spain did not transpose Directive 90/619 within the period prescribed therein.

O n those grounds,

T H E C O U R T (Sixth Chamber)

hereby:

1. Declares that, by failing to bring into force within the prescribed period the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with the second Council Directive (90/619/EEC) of 8 November 1990 on the coor- dination of laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to direct life insurance, laying down provisions to facilitate the effective exercise of freedom to provide services and amending Directive 79/267/EEC, the King- dom of Spain has failed to fulfil its obligations under the EC Treaty;

2. Orders the Kingdom of Spain to pay the costs.

Hirsch Mancini Schockweiler