Request for a preliminary ruling from the Arbeidshof te Antwerpen (Belgium) lodged on 11 March 2013 — Theodora Hendrika Bouman v Rijksdienst voor Pensioenen

(Case C-114/13)

2013/C 147/22

Language of the case: Dutch

Referring court

Arbeidshof te Antwerpen

Parties to the main proceedings

Appellant: Theodora Hendrika Bouman

Respondent: Rijksdienst voor Pensioenen

Question referred

Is the part of the AOW benefit which is paid to a Netherlands resident and which is based on an insurance period during which that Netherlands resident, simply by making an application, may refrain from joining the Netherlands scheme and thus from paying the premium, and in fact did so for a limited period, to be regarded as a benefit which is awarded on the basis of a voluntary or optional continued insurance within the meaning of Article 46a(3)(c) of Regulation 1408/71, (1) so that no account may be taken of it when applying the provision against overlapping as laid down in Article 52(1)(1) of the Belgian Koninklijk Besluit van 21 december 1967 tot vaststelling van het algemeen reglement betreffende het rust- en overlevingspensioen voor werknemers.

(1)  Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71 of the Council of 14 June 1971 on the application of social security schemes to employed persons and their families moving within the Community (OJ 1971 L 149, p. 2).