16It is to be noted at the outset that, according to settled case-law, whilst the exemptions provided for, inter alia, in Article 13B(d)(6) of the Sixth Directive and Article 135(1)(g) of Directive 2006/112 are independent concepts of European Union law which must, in principle, be given a common definition whose purpose is to avoid divergences in the application of the VAT system from one Member State to another, so that the Member States cannot alter their content, that is not however the case where the legislature has conferred on the Member States the task of defining certain terms of an exemption (see, to this effect, Case C-169/04 Abbey National [2006] ECR I-4027, paragraphs 38 and 39, and Claverhouse, paragraphs 19 and 20). The aforesaid provisions confer upon the Member States the task of defining the meaning of ‘special investment funds’ (see, to this effect, Abbey National, paragraphs 40 and 41, and Claverhouse, paragraph 43).
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