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Súdny dvor Európskej únie·30.1.2003

C-212/01

ECLI:EU:C:2003:59

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Súdny dvor Európskej únie
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62001CC0212

UNTERPERTINGER

OPINION OF ADVOCATE GENERAL STIX-HACKL delivered on 30 January 2003 1

I — Introduction the request of employers or insurers, and some involving the preparation of medical certificates or reports designed to establish medical fitness or whether the conditions for particular legal claims are satisfied.

1. All the questions which the Landesger- icht Innsbruck and the VAT and Duties Tribunal, London Tribunal Centre, have 3. Both cases raise questions relating, in referred to the Court of Justice for a particular, to the scope of the judgment in preliminary ruling in these cases, and to the case of D., 2 in which the Court decided which this joined Opinion relates, concern that the establishment of genetic affinity the scope of the exemption in respect of through biological tests does not fall within 'the provision of medical care' under the scope of Article 13A(1)(c) of the Sixth Article 13A(1)(c) of Sixth Council Directive Directive. 77/388/EEC of 17 May 1977 on the har- monisation of the laws of the Member States relating to turnover taxes — Com- mon system of value added tax: uniform basis of assessment (hereinafter 'the Sixth Directive'). I I — Legal background

A — Community law 2. The particular situation in Case C-212/01 involves the assessment by a doctor, acting as an expert instructed by a court or pension insurance institution, of 4. Article 13A(1) of the Sixth Directive the disability or ability of an applicant for a exempts certain 'activities in the public pension. Case C-307/01 concerns a range interest' from VAT. of medical activities, some carried out at

2 —Judgment of 14 September 2000 in Case C-384/98 [2000] 1 — Original language: German. ECR I-6795.

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5. Article 13A(1)(c) of the Sixth Directive of the Umsatzsteuergesetz (Law on Turn- provides as follows: over Tax, or UstG) in Austria. That provi- sion reads as follows in material part:

'(1) Without prejudice to other Community provisions, Member States shall exempt the following under conditions which they shall lay down for the purpose of ensuring the correct and straightforward application 'Of turnover falling within Paragraph of such exemptions and of preventing any 1(1)(1), the following are exempt from tax: possible evasion, avoidance or abuse:

(c) the provision of medical care in the exercise of the medical and paramedical professions as defined by the Member State concerned.'

19. Turnover from activity as a doctor, dentist, psychotherapist, midwife or self- employed supplier within the meaning of Paragraph 52(4) of Federal Law BGBl. No 102/1961 in the edition published in B — National law BGBl. No 872/1992 and of Paragraph 7(3) of Federal Law BGBl. No 460/1992; ser- vices supplied by associations whose members belong to the aforesaid profes- sions are, as regards their members, also 1. Case C-212/01 exempt from tax, to the extent that such services are used directly for carrying out the transactions that are exempt from tax under this provision and to the extent that the associations charge to their members only the exact reimbursement of the 6. Tax exemptions in respect of the medical r e s p e c t i v e s h a r e of the c o m m o n professions are governed by Paragraph 6(1) expenses;...'

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2. Case C-307/01 Ill — Facts, procedure and questions referred for a preliminary ruling

7. Item 1(a) in Group 7 — 'Health and Welfare' — in Schedule 9 to the Value Added Tax Act 1994 describes as one of the A — Case C-212/01 supplies that is exempt from VAT under Section 31 of the Act the following:

9. The background to the questions referred in Case C-212/01 is an action before the Landesgericht Innsbruck as employment and social security court in ' 1 . The supply of services by a person which, owing to the death of the plaintiff, registered or enrolled in any of the follow- Ms Margarete Unterpertinger, in the course ing: of the proceedings, the only question which remains to be determined is that of costs.

(a) the register of medical practitioners...;' 10. The original subject-matter of the dis- p u t e w a s a c l a i m b r o u g h t by Ms Unterpertinger against a notice from the Pensionsversicherungsanstalt der Arbeiter (Workers' Pension Insurance Insti- 8. In addition, note (2) states as follows in tution, hereinafter 'the defendant'). The relation to that provision: Landesgericht Innsbruck as employment and social security court was called upon to determine whether the defendant should award the plaintiff a disability pension in the statutory amount from 1 August 1999.

'(2) Paragraph... (a)... of item 1 include[s] supplies of services made by a person who is not registered or enrolled in any of the registers... specified in [that paragraph] where the services are wholly performed 11. The defendant claimed before the court or directly supervised by a person who is so that there was a range of occupations on registered or enrolled.' the general employment market that the

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plaintiff could still perform. The plaintiff, Paragraph 77 of the Austrian Arbeits- und on the other hand, submitted that she was Sozialgerichtsgesetz (Law on Employment disabled within the meaning of the law. and Social Security Courts), raised fee objections against the expert's fee note, in so far as it included VAT at 20%. With the exception of that sum, all the fee rates were accepted as to both basis and amount. The 12. In order to assess the conflicting alle- expert's fees were paid out without VAT in gations made in the proceedings, the the first instance. national court, on 3 April 2000, ordered various expert medical reports to be obtained.

17. The Court notified the parties that it would give a written decision in respect of 13. After those reports had been obtained, the 20% VAT. That is the context in which the plaintiff died suddenly, and the national the present request for a preliminary ruling court accordingly held that the proceedings has been made. had been cut short.

14. The only point still at issue was the 18. Under the Austrian Gebühren- costs of the proceedings. The defendant and anspruchsgesetz (Law on Entitlement to the expert continued to be parties to the Fees), an expert is entitled to recover proceedings in regard to the outstanding turnover tax on his fee if, and to the extent matters. that, his services are subject to turnover tax.

15. The latter, an expert instructed by the Landesgericht Innsbruck as employment and social security court, and a specialist 19. By its question the national court is in psychiatry and neurology, invoiced VAT therefore asking whether or not the medical for the services supplied by him as an services supplied by the medical witness are expert. exempt from turnover tax.

16. At the hearing for presenting oral argument, the defendant, which is in any 20. In the view of the national court, it is event required to bear the costs incurred on not absolutely clear from the wording of instructing expert witnesses, pursuant to Paragraph 6(1)(19) of the Umsatzsteuerge- I - 13864

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setz whether medical examinations whose and expert opinions based on them for purpose is to establish invalidity, incapacity the purpose of establishing or exclud- to work or disability are covered by the ing disability, incapacity to work or exemption, or are excluded. The court invalidity do not fall within the scope points out that, despite differences in of application of the provision referred wording, the provision represents the trans- to in Question 1 above, whether or not p o s i t i o n i n t o A u s t r i a n l a w of the doctor who acts as an expert is Article 13A(1)(c) of the Sixth Directive, instructed by a court or a pension and must therefore be interpreted in con- insurance institution?' formity with the Directive.

21. Accordingly, the Landesgericht Inns- bruck as employment and social security court has, by an order of 9 May 2001, referred the following questions to the Court of Justice for a preliminary ruling B — Case C-307/01 under Article 234 EC:

' 1 . Is Article 13A(1)(c) of the Sixth Coun- 22. Dr d'Ambrumenil is a medical practi- cil Directive 77/388/EEC of 17 May tioner. He initially worked in that capacity 1977 on the harmonisation of the laws in the National Health Service, and then of the Member States relating to turn- treated patients at his private practice until over taxes — Common system of 1997. He also acted extensively as an value added tax: uniform basis of expert medical witness before courts and assessment, to be interpreted as mean- tribunals and as a mediator and arbitrator. ing that the exemption from value added tax provided for therein does not apply to turnover from the activity of a doctor which consists in determin- ing the disability or ability of a person applying for a pension?

23. In 1994 Dr d'Ambrumenil formed a limited company, Dispute Resolution Ser- vices Limited (hereinafter 'DRS'), which 2. Is the judgment of the Court of Justice now carries on substantially all of his of the European Communities in Case business activities, with the exception of C-384/98 D v W to be interpreted as minor activities that do not relate to medi- meaning that medical examinations cal or legal work.

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24. These business activities involve pro- court decision with regard to some of the viding a number of different types of services. But the national tribunal is unsure service, such as conducting medical exam- of the c o r r e c t i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of inations and tests and issuing medical Article 13A(l)(c) of the Sixth Directive in certificates. connection with the remainder of the medi- cal activities. It describes these activities in the order for reference as follows:

25. By a letter of 29 September 1997, Dr d'Ambrumenil was informed of a decision by the Commissioners of Customs and Excise finding that some of the services — Conducting medical examinations of provided by him and/or DRS fell within individuals for employers. This Item 1(a) of Group 7 in Schedule 9 to the involves a physical and/or mental Value Added Tax Act and were therefore examination of a prospective employee exempt from VAT. carried out for the prospective employer and may involve completing a standard questionnaire. It does not involve the provision of medical treat- ment or advice to the prospective employee as to his medical condition. On certain occasions the prospective 26. The purpose of the main proceedings is employee will be a current or former to adjudicate on an appeal brought by Dr patient of Dr d'Ambrumenil to whom d'Ambrumenil and DRS 3 against that he has provided medical treatment or decision. The matter at issue is how certain advice in the past; on other occasions services are properly to be treated for VAT the individual will be neither a current purposes. Whilst Dr d'Ambrumenil and nor a former patient of Dr d'Am- DRS consider that the services in question brumenil. constitute taxable supplies, the Commis- sioners of Customs and Excise — the respondents in the main proceedings — are of the view that the services are exempt under the provisions of the Value Added Tax Act that transposed Article 13A(1)(c) of the Sixth Directive. — Conducting medical examinations of individuals for insurers. This activity involves a physical and/or mental examination of the prospective insured for the purposes of permanent health insurance or life assurance, and may 27. It has been possible to resolve the involve completing a standard ques- dispute by agreement of the parties or tionnaire. It does not involve the provision of medical treatment or advice to the prospective insured as to 3 — Hereinafter 'the appellants in the main proceedings'. his medical condition. On certain occa-

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sions the individual will be a current or vidual has symptoms resulting from former patient of Dr d'Ambrumenil to injuries sustained while on military whom he has provided medical treat- service. It normally involves a physical ment or advice in the past; on other examination of the individual, who occasions the individual will be neither may or may not be a patient of Dr a current nor a former patient. d'Ambrumenil, but does not involve treatment of the symptoms.

— Testing for other purposes. The taking of blood or other bodily samples to test for the presence of viruses, infections, or other diseases, including, in particu- — Medical reports regarding personal lar, the HIV virus. This activity is injuries. The preparation of expert conducted on behalf of, and for the medical reports regarding issues of benefit of, employers or insurers and liability and the quantification of dam- may or may not be in respect of current ages for individuals contemplating liti- or former patients of Dr d'Ambrume- gation before courts and tribunals. It nil. involves the use of Dr d'Ambrumenil's medical skills to evaluate the cause, extent and prognosis of the injury and may involve examination of the pros- pective plaintiff. It does not involve treatment of the prospective plaintiff's condition. — Medical certificates. Certification of medical fitness, for example as to fitness to travel, at the request of the individual who may or may not be a current or former patient of Dr d'Am- brumenil. It involves the use of Dr d'Ambrumenil's medical skills and may involve a physical or mental examin- ation. — Medical reports regarding medical neg- ligence. The preparation of expert medical reports for individuals contem- plating litigation regarding profession- al medical negligence. It involves the use of medical skills as to the cause, extent and prognosis of the injury, — Certificates as to a person's health for liability and the quantification of dam- other purposes, such as war pensions. ages, and may but does not normally This involves, for example, certifying, involve examination of the individual. for the purpose of establishing entitle- It does not involve treatment of the ment to a war pension, that an indi- individual's medical condition.

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28. The national tribunal also observes in viruses, infections or other diseases on the order for reference that the judgment of behalf of employers or insurers, the Court of Justice in the case of D. makes it clear that the involvement of a doctor for the purpose of investigating and providing an opinion in relation to a question of paternity is not covered by the exemption, but that, unlike the activities at issue in the (c) certification of medical fitness, for present case, that is a procedure that has example, as to fitness to travel, nothing to do with the health of any person.

(d) giving certificates as to a person's medical condition for purposes such 29. By a decision of 6 June 2001 the VAT as entitlement to a War Pension, and Duties Tribunal, London Tribunal Centre, accordingly referred the following question to the Court of Justice for a preliminary ruling:

(e) medical examinations conducted with a view to the preparation of expert Medical Reports regarding issues of liability and the quantification of dam- ' 1 . Is Article 13A(l)(c) of Directive ages for individuals contemplating per- 77/388/EEC of 17 May 1977 on the har- sonal injury litigation, monisation of the laws of the Member States relating to turnover taxes to be interpreted as covering the following activ- ities when performed in the exercise of the medical profession as defined by the Member State: (f) the preparation of Medical Reports

(a) conducting medical examinations of (i) following the e x a m i n a t i o n s individuals for employers or insurance referred to in (e) and companies,

(ii) based on medical notes but with- (b) the taking of blood or other bodily out conducting a medical examin- samples to test for the presence of ation,

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(g) medical examinations conducted with 31. In the view of the Austrian Govern- a view to the preparation of expert ment, the question whether or not the Medical Reports regarding profession- activities of an expert in proceedings before al medical negligence for individuals a social security court are subject to turn- contemplating litigation, and over tax has been sufficiently clarified by the judgment in the D. case. 4 In that decision, the Court of Justice declared that a medical service which consisted 'not in providing care to persons by diagnosing and treating a disease or any other health (h) the preparation of Medical Reports disorder' was subject to turnover tax. If, as the judgment suggests, the exemption in Article 13A(1)(c) of the Sixth Directive only applies to medical services having a therapeutic aim, then the expert services of a doctor whose involvement is confined to (i) following the e x a m i n a t i o n s establishing the disability or ability of an referred to in (g) and applicant for a pension for the purpose of the award of a disability pension must also be assumed not to be exempt. That con- clusion is supported, inter alia, by the principle that provisions that contain exemptions from turnover tax are to be interpreted strictly. (ii) based on medical notes but with- out conducting a medical examin- ation?'

IV — Arguments of the parties 32. The Commission's arguments accord for the most part with those of the Austrian Government. The Commission submits that, contrary to the position under Para- graph 4(1)(19) of the Austrian Umsatz- steuergesetz, under Article 13A(1)(c) of the A — Case C-212/01 Sixth Directive, not all activities carried on by a doctor are exempt. The Commission disagrees with the United Kingdom's view that the notion of a doctor's function in Council Directive 93/16/EEC to facilitate 30. The Austrian Government, like the the free movement of doctors and the Commission, did not submit observations on the second question referred separately but answered both questions together. 4 — Cited in footnote 2.

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mutual recognition of their diplomas, cer- say, accountants or engineers, and it is tificates and other evidence of formal therefore not exempt under qualifications 5can be transposed to this Article 13A(1)(c). The fact that the expert case. That directive has a different purpose was appointed to give an opinion by the from the Sixth Directive, and it does not court is thus irrelevant. The purpose of the comprehensively define a doctor's function. medical intervention alone is material. In the judgment in the case of D., 6the Court clearly stated which medical activ- ities do not fall within the scope of 'the provision of medical care'. The Court confirmed that jurisprudence, which dif- ferentiates according to what the aim of the medical intervention is, in its judgment of 11 January 2001 in the case of Commission v France. 7None the less, the therapeutic aim, which is the determining factor under that case-law, is to be understood widely; 34. As to the question, which came up check-ups and prevention are included. In especially at the hearing, of the practic- general, the question does not turn on the ability of deducting VAT when not all nature of the activity or of the individual medical services are exempt, the Commis- medical procedure, but on the purpose of sion submitted that the difficulties this the doctor's intervention. poses are no greater than those that arise in other cases where goods and services are used for both taxable and exempt trans- actions. The amount of VAT that is deductible is calculated not by reference to the individual item used, but as a proportion of the whole of the taxable person's turnover.

33. In the Commission's view, however, establishing whether an applicant for a pension is disabled for the purpose of court proceedings does not have a therapeutic aim, as the sole purpose is to resolve a question of law. Accordingly, this exercise 35. The United Kingdom submits that the must, for turnover tax purposes, be treated activities at issue in this case, namely in the same way as the activity of expert carrying out a medical examination and witnesses from other disciplines such as, then determining a person's state of health, — in effect, therefore, in its sub- mission, making a medical diagnosis —, are 5 — Council Directive of 5 April 1993 (OJ 1993 L 165, p. 1), central functions of the medical profession hereinafter 'Directive 93/16'. and therefore fall within the scope of the 6 — Cited in footnote 2. exemption in Article 13A(1)(c) of the Sixth 7 —Judgment in Case C-76/99 Commission v France [2001] ECR I-249, paragraph 24. Directive.

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36. The United Kingdom contends that it diagnosis and/or examination is carried follows both from the wording of the out, or the person who instructed that it exemption, and from a comparison with be carried out, affects the applicability of Directive 93/16, 8which is applicable to the exemption. this extent, that the function of the medical profession goes beyond simply providing medical treatment stricto sensu. For example, the activity of the medical pro- fession includes prophylactic medicine, such as vaccinations, treatment in the areas of family planning and obstetrics, and cosmetic surgery. That is why, in the case of pathology, both the taking and the analysis of medical samples were, in Case C-76/99 Commission v France, 9found to 38. As to the first question referred, the be exempt under Article 13A(1)(b). The United Kingdom Government concludes Court further rejected an especially narrow that no sensible or workable distinction interpretation of the exemption in that can be drawn in regard to the exemption on case, referring to its purpose, which is to the basis of the purpose for which or ensure that access to hospital treatment and reasons why a medical diagnosis is sought. medical care is not hindered by increased The tax treatment of a service cannot costs. Similarly, the activity of examining depend on the results of the examination and giving an opinion on a person's state of or the motives of the patient in seeking it. health — for instance, in the context of Such criteria could, in any event, be easily periodic health checks — must fall within circumvented. the exemption, regardless of whether the examination leads to the administering of medical treatment in the stricter sense.

39. As to the second question referred, the United Kingdom draws attention to the difference between this case and the situ- ation in the case of D. Unlike the activities here, the establishing by an expert of 37. The medical activity in point here is the paternity, which was at issue in that case, making of a diagnosis. The issue raised by had nothing to do with health. The pro- the questions referred for a preliminary cedure at issue in this case, in contrast, is ruling is whether the purpose for which the concerned with the diagnosis of diseases, which does fall within the exemption, according to the decision in D. 10 8 — The United Kingdom bases its argument that Directive 93/16 may be transposed to this case on the decision in Case C-349/96 Card Protection Plan [1999] ECR I-973, para- graph 18. 9 — Cited in footnote 7. 10 —Judgment in D. (cited in footnote 2), paragraph 18.

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40. Nor, in the United Kingdom's sub- — make it clear that 'the provision of mission, can the identity of the person medical care' within the meaning of that requesting the examination or diagnosis be provision only encompasses activities hav- the determining factor. A number of the ing a therapeutic aim. exemptions in Article 13A and 13B of the Sixth Directive are dependent on the iden- tity of the supplier or the recipient of goods or services. However, no condition relating to the identity of the recipient was intro- duced into Article 13A(1)(c). To imply such a condition into that provision would be tantamount to restricting the exemption in a way which is not supported by its word- 42. They argue that the exemptions in ing. And once again, this provision could Article 13 of the Sixth Directive are excep- be easily circumvented. tions to the general principle that all services supplied by a taxable person for consideration are subject to VAT. As such the exemptions are, pursuant to the judg- ment in the case of Stichting Uitvoering, 14 to be interpreted strictly. However this does not mean that they must be given the narrowest meaning possible, but that an exemption is to be understood as not extending beyond what falls within the natural meaning of the words. B — Case C-307/01

41. In view of the appellants in the main proceedings, it follows from the judgments 43. The wording of the exemption requires of the Court of Justice in the cases of D. 11 that two conditions be met. First of all, the and Commission v United Kingdom 12 that service must be performed in the exercise of the activities described in the question a medical or paramedical profession and, referred for a preliminary ruling do not fall secondly, it must constitute medical care. within the exemption in Article 13A(1)(c) There is no doubt that the first condition is and are therefore taxable. That is because met in this case because Dr d'Ambrumenil that case-law, and the judgment in the case performs the services in the exercise of his of Commission v France 13 — though the medical profession. However, his services latter is not otherwise relevant to this case cannot be described as involving the provi- sion of medical care. The words 'medical care' cannot encompass all activities car- 11 — Cited in footnote 2. 12 —Judgment in Case 353/85 Commission v United Kingdom [1988] ECR 817. 14 — Judgment in Case 348/87 Stichting Uitvoering [1989] ECR 13 — Cited in footnote 7, paragraph 24. 1737, paragraph 13.

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ried out by a person in the exercise of the 46. The appellants in the main proceedings medical profession. If they did, then the argue that none of the activities enumer- second condition would be otiose and the ated in the order for reference are per- Directive could simply have exempted 'ser- formed for the purposes of protecting the vices', as in Article 13A(1)(e). health of any person or curing or treating any medical condition. They are not carried out for any therapeutic purpose and are no different in essence from paternity testing with which the case of D. was concerned, and should not therefore be exempt.

44. The words 'medical care' necessarily connote an activity designed to protect human health, and involving care of a patient. That interpretation is also consist- ent with the spirit and purpose of Article 13A of the Sixth Directive, which is to promote the protection of human health. That includes pure diagnosis and examination, if done for the purpose of ascertaining whether a person is suffering from a medical condition, with a view to treating it if possible. However, a diagnosis or examination alone does not constitute medical care — even where it is under- 47. The United Kingdom in its observa- taken by a doctor — if it is carried out for tions essentially repeats its arguments in some other purpose, such as to determine Case C-212/01. It contends that, like the the premium payable on an insurance making of diagnoses and conducting of policy. examinations, the activities described in the order for reference are central functions of the medical profession and therefore fall entirely within the scope of the exemption in Article 13A(1)(c) of the Sixth Directive. As in Case C-212/01, these activities involve the use of medical skill in order to give a medical opinion on a person's state of health, except that this case does not 45. Nor does the fact that not all medical involve acting as an expert appointed by a activities are covered by the exemption give court. However both cases raise the ques- rise to any problems with regard to the tion whether either the purpose for which deduction of VAT. Health professionals the diagnosis and/or the examination are already carry out taxable transactions in carried out, or the identity of the person the United Kingdom, such as the sale by commissioning them, affects the applicabil- dentists of toothbrushes, and there are ity of the exemption. The United Kingdom appropriate methods for calculating the says not. Nor is the confidential relation- proportion of VAT that is deductible. ship between the patient and the person

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treating him, or the degree of confidence tion depends on what is meant by 'medical that exists, to which the Court referred in care'. In the case of D., the Court held on Case C-353/85, 15an appropriate criterion, this point that the medical intervention and it ought not to be so construed. must have a therapeutic aim, broadly con- Whether the examination is carried out by strued, in other words, its aim must be the the patient's own doctor or another doctor diagnosis, treatment and, so far as possible, cannot be material. the cure of diseases and health disorders. The Court reiterated its emphasis on this requirement in the case of Commission v France. Application of this test does not give rise to any special problems, at least no more than are raised by the interpretation of other tax exemptions. The Commission also affirms that it does not consider the 48. The United Kingdom points to the fact identity of the person who commissions the that all the activities described in the order medical procedure to be relevant. for reference involve the making of a medical diagnosis for the purpose of being communicated to a third party, with the diagnosis being commissioned by the third party in some cases. At any rate Dr D'Ambrumenil is in all cases providing medical care by using his medical know- ledge to diagnose a patient's state of health. This can be distinguished from the act, exemplified by the case of D., of giving an opinion on a question of paternity, which has nothing to do with health.

49. In its observations the Commission in some ways goes further than in Case 50. Like the United Kingdom, the Com- C-212/01. Like the appellants in the main mission also points to the purpose of the proceedings, it points out that doctors do exemption, which is to ensure that access to not enjoy a general exemption from VAT, medical treatment is not made more dif- and that there are numerous activities ficult by increased costs, and agrees with undertaken in the exercise of the medical the United Kingdom's view that the identity profession that do not fall within the scope of the person who requests the medical of the exemption in Article 13A(1)(c); that examination is not material to the applica- much is clear from the wording of the bility of the exemption. Nor, however, is provision alone. The scope of the exemp- the use of medical knowledge and skill decisive, as the words 'medical care' imply something narrower, which is why Direc- tive 93/16 is not of assistance in this 15 —Judgment in Case C-353/85 (cited in footnote 12), para- graph 33. context.

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51. As regards the individual activities at relation to periodic medical examinations issue here, the Commission sees no reason which are routinely required by employers to distinguish between the services or insurers. Such examinations may have a described at points (e) to (h) of the order therapeutic aim, in that they encourage the for reference. What is common to all these persons concerned to discuss their state of is the purpose of the examination, which is health with the doctor and to obtain to determine the victim's physical condition appropriate recommendations. Such exam- and the origin and extent of the harm inations do involve a relationship of doctor alleged to have been suffered, in order to and patient, unlike examinations requested assess any potential damages. Such an solely for the purpose of determining examination, at least where the expert is aptitude for employment or assessing an not the victim's own physician, does not insurance risk. These medical activities may have any therapeutic aim or direct con- therefore be deemed to be covered by the nection with the medical treatment of that exemption. The same applies to the prep- harm. The taxation of such services con- aration of certificates and the carrying out sequently has no impact on the ease of of examinations in so far as they form part access to healthcare. The same may be said of the ongoing provision of medical care by of points (c) and (d). Where a medical a doctor to his patient. The other types of certificate is issued in the context of a service set out in the order for reference are routine consultation or ongoing medical taxable supplies. care, the provision of the certificate may be regarded as merely ancillary to the main purpose of the service, which is the medical care of the person concerned. But the resolution of that question is a matter for the national tribunal.

V — Appraisal

52. As regards examinations and tests car- ried out for employers and insurers, described in points (a) and (b) of the order for reference, in the Commission's view there is a distinction to be made according to the circumstances. If the examination is 53. As there is a significant degree of to establish suitability for future employ- overlap between the questions raised in ment, or to determine whether a person is a these two cases, I propose to begin by suitable risk, particularly if it is carried out considering the scope of the exemption in by a doctor chosen by the employer or Article 13A(1)(c) of the Sixth Directive in insurer, it should be regarded as a taxable general, before looking in detail at the supply. The position may be different in individual questions referred in each case.

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A — General observations on the scope of 56. The object of Article 13A of the Sixth the exemption in Article 13A(1)(c) of the Directive is to exempt certain activities that Sixth Directive are in the public interest from VAT, limited, however, to the activities which are specifically set out and described in detail therein. 17 In addition it is settled case-law that the exemptions constitute independent concepts of Community law which must be placed in the general context of the common system of VAT introduced by the Directive 18 and are to be interpreted 54. I should like to start by considering the strictly, since they constitute exceptions to issue raised by the United Kingdom, con- the general principle that turnover tax is to cerning the extent to which, under the Sixth be levied on all services supplied for con- Directive, conclusions may be drawn from sideration by a taxable person. 19 Directive 93/16 as to the scope of the exemption here.

55. In the Card Protection Plan case, 16 on which the United Kingdom relied, the Court found that there was 'no reason for the interpretation of the term "insurance" 57. The scope of the exemption for activ- to differ according to whether it appears in ities in the medical field in Article 13A(1)(c) the directive on insurance or in the Sixth of the Sixth Directive must therefore be Directive'. That merely signifies that terms determined in the light of a corresponding which appear in more than one directive interpretation of that provision in the can sometimes have the same meaning. overall context of the general scheme for This is not to say, however, that, under the VAT, and no automatic inferences may be Sixth Directive, all medical activities poten- made on the basis of the scope of appli- tially within the scope of Directive 93/16 cation of Directive 93/16. are covered by the exemption, not least because the purpose of Directive 93/16, which is to facilitate the exercise of the 17 — Cf, inter alia, the judgments in Cases C-287/00 Commis- sion v Germany [2002] ECR I-5811, paragraph 45, and right of establishment and the free move- C-149/97 Institute of the Motor Industry [1998] ECR I-7053, paragraph 18. ment of services for doctors, is different 18 — Cf, for instance, Case C-2/95 SDC [1997] ECR I-3017, from that of the Sixth Directive. paragraph 21; Stichting Uitvoering (cited in footnote 14), paragraph 11; and Case 235/85 Commission v Nether- lands [1987] ECR 1471, paragraph 18. 19 — Cf, inter alia, the judgments in the case of D. (cited in footnote 2), paragraph 15, SDC (cited in footnote 18), 16 — Judgment in case C-349/96 (cited in footnote 8), paragraph paragraph 20, and Stichting Uitvoering (cited in footnote 18. 14), paragraph 13.

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58. With regard, therefore, to the scope of 61. The United Kingdom, and the national the exemption, as the appellants in the tribunal in Case C-307/01, 2 2regard as main proceedings in Case C-307/01 cor- critical the fact that, unlike the activities in r e c t l y s t a t e d , t h e w o r d i n g of this case, establishing paternity, as in the Article 13A(1)(c) of the Sixth Directive case of D., has nothing to do with the makes it clear that two conditions must be health of any person. met. There must be provision of medical care, and it must be supplied by a person who possesses the necessary professional qualifications for a medical or paramedical profession. 20

62. That approach differentiates between a medical act whose object is purely to establish certain biological characteristics and one whose object is to ascertain a person's state of health.

59. It is common ground that the services in question in both these cases were pro- vided by a doctor. The question is therefore whether those services, by reason of their i n t r i n s i c n a t u r e , fall within Article 13A(1)(c). The point at issue, then, 63. However the Commission rightly is the interpretation of the words 'provision rejected such a distinction, based on the of medical care'. type of medical act, or the actual medical procedure carried out or treatment given. It is not, to my mind, possible to infer such a distinction from the decision in D., nor would it be practicable to do so.

60. In its judgment in the case of D., 21 the Court found that those words do not extend to establishing the genetic affinity of individuals. The orders for reference in 64. It is, for example, conceivable that the both of the present cases stem from doubts test which the Court found not to qualify as as to whether that decision transfers to the care in the case of D., or one like it, might medical services at issue here. What is be necessary in order to establish whether a uncertain is what particular factor causes person is suitable as an organ donor. If the the service of establishing paternity, as United Kingdom's argument were to be exemplified in the case of D., to fall outside accepted, then this test too would fall the exemption in Article 13A(x1)(c). outside the exemption, even though it clearly forms part of, or is a prerequisite

20 — Case C-141/00 Kügler [2002] ECR I-6833, paragraph 27. 21 — Cited in footnote 2. 22 — See point 28 above.

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to, the provision of medical care. The same words 'provision of medical care' in would be true, for instance, of ascertaining Article 13A(1)(c) to date makes clear, the a person's blood group, which also involves crucial issue is, rather, the aim of the determining a biological characteristic by medical intervention. scientific tests, and has no bearing per se on any person's state of health.

67. In its decision in the case of D., the Court found, on the basis of a comparison 65. Furthermore, in view of the complexity of the various language versions of of the human organism and the cor- Article 13A(1)(c), that the term 'does not responding multiplicity of methods of treat- lend itself to an interpretation which ment which a doctor is necessarily called includes medical interventions carried out upon to administer in the exercise of his for a purpose other than that of diagnosing, profession, it does not seem either very treating and, in so far as possible, curing helpful or even possible to distinguish diseases or health disorders'. 2 3Therefore between various individual methods or services 'not having a therapeutic aim' medical procedures according to whether must, in view of the principle that any they are more or less central to or char- provision establishing an exemption from acteristic of the medical profession. There VAT is to be interpreted strictly, be can be no question that establishing pater- e x c l u d e d f r o m t h e s c o p e of nity, as in the case of D., requires specialist Article 13A(1)(c) of the Sixth Directive. 24 medical knowledge and therefore falls The Court of Justice has confirmed that within the tasks of the medical profession. case-law in its judgments in the cases of That is exactly the reason for engaging a Commission v France 25 and Kügler. 26 doctor as an expert. The application of medical skill, or the 'central functions of the medical profession', on which the United Kingdom bases its argument, at least in part, cannot therefore be decisive.

68. It may therefore be concluded from the case-law that, when determining whether a medical procedure is to be exempted from VAT, it is the purpose of the procedure that 66. As regards the question whether a is decisive. Not all activities carried out by medical procedure is exempt from VAT, then, neither the nature of the medical intervention nor its centrality in terms of 23 —Judgment in D. (cited in footnote 2), paragraph 18. 24 — Ibid., paragraph 19. the functions of the medical profession is 25 — Commission v France (cited in footnote 7), paragraph 24. decisive; as the Court's case-law on the 26 — Kügler (cited in footnote 20), paragraphs 38 and 39.

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a doctor are exempt — only those having 71. Taken together, the two exemptions a 'therapeutic aim'. therefore serve to promote access to health- care — whether in hospitals or other- wise — by keeping treatment costs down. 29

69. In order correctly to determine the scope of the words 'the provision of medi- cal care' in Article 13A(1)(c) of the Sixth Directive, it is also necessary to have regard to the rationale behind the exemption.

72. It is apparent from both the purpose of the exemption, as just set out, and the case-law of the Court that, contrary to the United Kingdom's view, activities whose direct purpose is not to cure but is merely preventive do constitute activities with a 'therapeutic aim' which are to be regarded 70. The Court has stated with respect to as involving the provision of medical care Article 13A(1)(b) that 'the exemption of and thus exempt. activities closely related to hospital and medical care is designed to ensure that the benefits flowing from such care are not hindered by the increased costs of provid- ing it that would follow if it, or closely related activities, were subject to VAT'. 27 It is to be noted in that regard that subparagraph (c) of Article 13A(1) of the Sixth Directive is intended, in conjunction with subparagraph (b), to regulate compre- hensively exemptions for services in the area of medical care. Article 13A(1)(b) covers services provided in hospitals, and 73. Indeed it is precisely preventive medi- subparagraph (c) covers medical care pro- cine that helps to keep medical costs down, vided outside hospitals, both at the private both on an individual level and in national address of the person providing the care economic terms. Preventive medical pro- and at the patient's home, or at any other cedures must therefore be covered by the place. 28 exemption in order to ensure consistency with its purpose, which is to facilitate access to medical treatment. 27 — Commission v France (cited in footnote 7), paragraph 23. 28 — See the judgment in Kügler (cited in footnote 20), paragraph 36. See also my Opinion in Case C-45/01 Christoph-Domier-Stiftung [2002) ECR I-12911, points 45 29 — See the Opinion of Advocate General Saggio in D. (cited in and 46. footnote 2), point 16.

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74. Furthermore, the Court has stated 77. The activities described in the orders explicitly that only medical care provided for reference in Cases C-212/01 and 'for the purpose of prevention, diagnosis or C-307/01 are therefore to be assessed with treatment' qualifies for exemption under a view to determining whether their pur- Article 13A(1)(c). 30 pose or nature is to provide an opinion or service by an expert, or whether it is to provide medical treatment with a view to maintaining or restoring a person's health.

75. It may therefore be said in general that the classification of a medical procedure for 78. It may not be easy in individual cases to the purposes of Article 13A(1)(c) depends distinguish medical care within the mean- on whether the procedure may be char- ing of the exemption at issue here — acterised as care provided with a view to which is to say medical procedures having 'prevention, diagnosis or treatment', and a therapeutic aim — from other medical must be assessed in the light of the purpose activities. However, firstly, the need for the of that provision, which is to exempt from distinction is clear from the wording of tax such medical services as are supplied to Article 13A(l)(c) of the Directive, which protect or restore a person's health, and states that it is not activities undertaken by which ought therefore to be available to physicians in general that benefit from the individuals at as low a cost as possible. exemption but 'the provision of medical care'; and, secondly, the problem of where to draw the line in relation to the con- ditions attaching to tax exemptions com- monly do give rise to difficulties.

76. It is clear from the foregoing that the Court excluded establishing the genetic 79. Whether a supply by a doctor falls affinity of individuals from the scope of within the exemption or not is ultimately to Article 13A(1)(c) of the Sixth Directive in be determined on the basis of the facts, or the case of D., not because the object of the factual context of the particular medi- that test was to ascertain a person's bio- cal transaction. logical characteristics rather than their state of health, but because the medical procedure in that case served a purpose that was other than therapeutic, namely the drawing up of an expert opinion. 80. In so doing it is necessary to separate 30 — See the judgment in Kügler (cited in footnote 20), the factual aspects of the medical supply paragraph 40. under consideration from the legal criteria I - 13880

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applicable to determine whether the con- 83. The same is true of the relationship a ditions for the exemption to apply are met, patient has with the doctor treating him. such as in particular the requirement that Under the Directive it is not necessary, in there be a therapeutic aim within the order to come within the exemption in meaning of the case-law. Article 13A(l)(c), that there be a particular degree of confidential relationship between doctor and patient, nor indeed would such a factual requirement be practicable. The finding by the Court of Justice in Case 353/85 32 that the provision of medical care for the purposes of Article 13A(1)(c) involves services 'provided outside hos- pitals and similar establishments and 81. For example, one of the factual aspects within the framework of a confidential of a medical procedure to which regard relationship between the patient and the may be had in determining the purpose or person providing the care, a relationship nature of that procedure, but which does which is normally established in the con- not constitute a legal condition for the sulting room of that person', rather exemption to apply per se, is the identity of describes medical care outside hospitals in the person who requests the medical pro- general (Article 13A(1)(b) of the Sixth cedure. Commissioning by a court, an Directive). 33 That finding is therefore not insurer or an employer could suggest that to be understood as constituting a prerequi- a medical procedure is to be regarded as a site for there to be provision of medical service provided in an expert capacity and care. not a provision of medical care having a therapeutic aim, even if technically it is the same medical procedure that is involved.

82. The United Kingdom and the Commis- sion are correct to argue that the identity of 84. Finally, this is an appropriate point at the person who commissions or causes a which to consider the premiss, on which medical examination to be carried out is the United Kingdom's submission is based, not material to the exemption in that the activities described in both these Article 13A(1)(c) of the Sixth Directive — cases involve medical diagnosis in the both on the wording of the provision and widest sense, and that the exemption can- according to the case-law. 31 But it is one of not depend on the person who requested the factors that help to determine whether the diagnosis, or the reason for making it. the procedure constitutes treatment having a therapeutic aim. 32 — Judgment cited in footnote 12, paragraph 33. 33 — See also my Opinion in Case C-45/01 of 10 December 31 — Cf the judgment in D. (cited in footnote 2), paragraph 22. 2002 (cited in footnote 28), points 45 and 46.

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85. Very broadly, the Court's case-law says in such circumstances is clear from that in order to assess a transaction in the Article 17(5) of the Sixth Directive, which context of the Community VAT system, the states that the proportion of VAT that is nature of the transaction must be con- deductible for such goods and services is to sidered overall; artificial distinctions are to be determined by reference to all the trans- be avoided, and regard must be had to the actions carried out by the taxable person. 35 perspective of the average consumer. 34

86. If the medical supplies in this case are B — Case C-212/01 considered in their overall factual context, perhaps it is rash to describe them as involving diagnosis. As I have said, and as the Commission argued, the same medical procedure may be classified differently depending on the factual context in which 88. It should be observed at the outset that it is performed, so that whether assessing a the second question referred in Case person's state of health is to be regarded as C-212/01 on the interpretation of the diagnosis or as giving an expert opinion Court's judgment in the case of D. has no depends on that context. distinct meaning without the first question. I therefore propose to answer both ques- tions together.

87. Before I turn to the activities described in Cases C-212/01 and C-307/01 in the 89. By its two questions, the Landesgericht light of the foregoing, I should just like to Innsbruck is asking whether medical find- observe that, like the Commission, I do not ings and expert opinions based thereon consider the issue of the deduction of VAT made by a doctor appointed by a court or to raise any more serious problems as a pension insurance institution for the pur- result of various medical services being poses of determining whether an applicant treated differently for tax purposes than are for a pension does or does not suffer from raised in other cases where goods or disability, incapacity to work, or invalidity, services are used for both taxable and fall within the scope of Article 13A(1)(c) of non-taxable transactions. How to proceed the Sixth Directive.

34 — Cf the judgment in Case C-349/96 (cited in footnote 8), 35 — See also my Opinion in Case C-16/00 Cibo Participations paragraph 29. [2001] ECR I-6663, point 6.

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90. The activity of the doctor in such a case 93. The fact that a medical examination is consists in making an expert assessment of carried out at the instigation, or on the the degree of a person's disability, for the instructions, of an employer or insurer does purposes of evaluating the basis of a claim not automatically mean that it does not for a disability pension in the context of have a therapeutic aim, which is the critical court proceedings. The medical interven- condition for the exemption to apply. The tion has no therapeutic aim and it does not example cited by the Commission of (peri- therefore fall within the exemption in odic) medical examinations and tests to Article 13A(1)(c). which employees frequently have to submit as a duty owed to their employer under employment law seems to me to be illus- trative in this connection. Such routine examinations fulfil a therapeutic goal, in so far as their purpose is to maintain the employee's health or to prevent the onset of disease. Similarly, it is conceivable that an insurer might require certain preventive C — Case C-307/01 tests to be performed on its insureds. Such examinations, too, would fall to be classi- fied as medical treatment with the aim of preventing, diagnosing and, where possible, curing, regardless of the identity of the 1. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of the question person requesting them. The same would referred for a preliminary ruling be true of medicals in schools of the type alluded to at the hearing. The purpose of such medicals is not to obtain an expert opinion, even though they are carried out on the instructions of the school and not the pupils who undergo the examination, but to protect and, if possible, restore those 91. By paragraphs (a) and (b) of the ques- pupils' health. tion, the national tribunal is asking whether medical activities of examining persons and taking bodily samples for the purposes of testing for viruses, infections and other diseases, carried out for or on the instruc- tions of employers or insurers, fall within the exemption in Article 13A(1)(c).

94. It must therefore be found that medical examinations and tests of the type described in paragraphs (a) and (b) of the question referred fall within the scope of 92. It is not possible to give a catch-all the exemption in Article 13A(1)(c) only if response because, as I have said, the person they are carried out in the interests of the who commissions or requests a medical patient's health and not purely to obtain an examination is not per se relevant for the expert opinion with a view to providing purposes of the exemption. information to employers or insurers.

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95. The kinds of examination described in certificates or reports are issued on the the order for reference, involving assess- basis of medical notes or examinations. ment for employers or insurers of the physical and/or mental health of a potential employee or insured person in order to determine his medical suitability for a particular post or the risk he represents for an insurance scheme, are examples of activities by experts which have no thera- peutic aim.

98. What is, rather, critical for the pur- poses of Article 13A(1)(c) of the Sixth Directive is whether the services are sup- plied for the purposes of assessing medical 2. Paragraphs (c) to (h) of the question fitness, such as for travel, or of establishing referred particular grounds for a claim, whether in connection with a war pension, or personal injury or medical negligence litigation. These are medical interventions (of an expert nature) whose purpose is other than therapeutic and they are therefore excluded 96. By subparagraphs (c) to (h) of the from the scope of Article 13A(1)(c) of the question referred, the national tribunal is Sixth Directive. requesting guidance on how the prepara- tion of various medical certificates and reports should be treated for tax purposes.

97. In my view, the tribunal makes an erroneous distinction in the way it puts its question between certificates and reports 99. It is true that certifying whether a on the one hand, and the examinations person is medically fit may indeed have a performed in order to produce them on the 'prophylactic' function in the widest sense, other. The latter may be regarded as merely in that the person examined may, for ancillary since they do not serve any instance, refrain from undertaking a jour- purpose in themselves for the person ney which his health could not withstand. requesting them; they are simply the means Similarly, the award of a war pension or employed to produce the certificate or damages may also contribute to a person's report. 36 Nor does it make any difference health or its restoration in the broadest to the aim of the medical procedure — sense. But in the case of both these medical which is the crucial factor — whether the activities it is clearly the expert's opinion that is uppermost, any therapeutic impli- cations being only very indirect, so that to 36 — Cf the judgment in the Card Protection Plan case (cited in my mind such medical services cannot be footnote 8), paragraph 30. regarded as having any therapeutic aim.

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VI — Conclusion

100. In the light of all of the foregoing, I propose that the Court should reply to the questions referred for a preliminary ruling as follows.

A — Case C-212/01

Article 13A(1)(c) of the Sixth Directive is to be interpreted as meaning that the exemption therein laid down does not cover activities undertaken by a doctor consisting in establishing as an expert appointed by a court or pension insurance institution whether an applicant for a pension is or is not suffering from disability, incapacity to work or invalidity, the purpose of which is the preparation of an expert opinion rather than therapeutic.

B — Case C-307/01

(1) Article 13A(1)(c) of the Sixth Directive is to be interpreted as meaning that

— conducting medical examinations of individuals, and I- 13885

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— taking blood or other bodily samples to test for the presence of viruses, infections or other diseases,

for or on behalf of an employer or insurance company are not exempt from VAT if they do not have any therapeutic aim, such as the medical treatment of the individuals by means of prevention, diagnosis or treatment, but serve some other purpose, such as the compilation of health-related information by an expert for employers or insurance companies.

(2) The aim of medical activities such as

— certification of medical fitness such as, for example, fitness to travel,

— giving certificates as to a person's medical condition for purposes such as entitlement to a war pension, I-13886

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— preparing medical reports following medical examinations, including conducting such medical examinations, or on the basis of medical notes without any medical examination being carried out, in connection with issues of liability and the quantification of damages for individuals contemplating personal injury litigation, and

— preparing medical reports on the basis of medical notes or following medical examinations, including conducting such examinations, in con- nection with medical negligence for individuals contemplating litigation

is the obtaining of an expert opinion, rather than therapeutic. They do not therefore fall within the scope of Article 13A(1)(c) of the Sixth Directive and are thus not exempted from VAT.

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