9.12.92 . Official Journal of the European Communities No L 360/1 II - (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COUNCIL COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 92/96/EEC of 10 No‘vember 1992 on the coordination of laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to direct life assurance and amending Directives 79/267/EEC and 90/619/EEC (third life assurance Directive) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Articles 57 (2) and 66 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1), In cooperation with the European Parliament (2), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (3), 1. Whereas it is necessary to complete the internal market in direct life assurance, from the point of view both of the right of establishment and of the freedom to provide services, to make it easier for assurance undertakings with head offices in the Community to cover commitments situated within the Community; 2. Whereas the Second Council Directive 90/619/EEC of 8 November 1990 on the coordination of laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to direct life assurance, laying down provisions to facilitate the effective exercise of freedom to provide services and amending Directive 79/267/EEC (*) has already contributed substantially to the achievement of the internal market in direct life assurance by granting policy-holders who, by virtue of the fact that they . () O No C99, 16. 4. 1991, p. 2. (2) OJ No C176, 13. 7. 1992, p. 93; and Decision of 28 October 1992 (not yet published in the Ofﬁaal Journal). (3} OJ No C 14, 20. 1. 1992, p. 11 (4) OJ No L 330, 29. 11. 1990, p. 50. 4. s. take the initiative in entering into a commitment with an assurance undertaking in another Member State, do not require special protection in the Member State of the commitment complete freedom to avail themselves of the widest possible life assurance market; Whereas Directive 90/619/EEC therefore represents an important stage in the merging of national markets into an integrated market and that stage must be supplemented by other Community instruments with a view to enabling all policy-holders, irrespective of whether they themselves take the initiative, to have recourse to any assurer with a head office in the Community who carries on business there, under the right of establishment or the freedom to provide services, while guaranteeing them adequate protection; Whereas this Directive forms part of the body of Community legislation already enacted which includes the First Council Directive 79/267/EEC of § March 1979 on the coordination of laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to the taking up and pursuit of the business of direct life assurance (¥) and Council Directive 91/674/EEC of 19 December 1991 on the annual accounts and consolidated accounts of insurance undertakings (¢); Whereas the approach adopted consists in bringing about such harmonization as is essential, necessary (°) OJ No L 63, 13. 3. 1979, p. 1. Directive as last amended by the Second Directive 90/619/EEC (OJ No L 330, 29. 11. 1990, p. 50). (¢) O] No L 374, 31. 12. 1991, p. 7.