Court of Justice 15 May 2003, C-19/01, C-50/01 and C-84/01 (Istituto nazionale della previdenza sociale (INPS) v Alberto Barsotti and Others (C-19/01), Milena Castellani v Istituto nazionale della previdenza sociale (INPS) (C-50/01) and Istituto nazionale della previdenza sociale (INPS) v Anna Maria Venturi (C-84/01).)

Opinion of the Advocate-General Opinion of the Advocate-General I – Introductory comments 1. These proceedings concern the interpretation of Council Directive 80/987/EEC of 20 October 1980 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the protection of employees in the event of the insolvency of their employer (2) (hereinafter ‘the Directive’).