European Union – Reference to European Court. The Court of Justice of the European Union gave a preliminary ruling, deciding that art 9(2), second sub-paragraph, fourth indent, of Directive (EC) 97/67, as amended, had to be interpreted as not precluding national legislation, such as that at issue in the main proceedings, which imposed on all postal service providers, including those which did not provide postal services falling within the scope of the universal service, the obligation to contribute to the financing of the national regulatory authorities responsible for that sector.