Article 21 of Directive 79/267/EEC shall be replaced by the following:
'Article 21 1. Member States shall not prescribe any rules as to the choice of the assets that need not be used as cover for the technical provisions referred to in Article 17. 2. Subject to Article 17 (3), Article 24 (1), (2), (3) and (5) and the second subparagraph of Article 26 (1), Member States shall not restrain the free disposal of those assets, whether movable or immovable, that form part of the assets of authorized assurance undertakings. 3. Paragraphs 1 and 2 shall not preclude any measures which Member States, while safeguarding the interests of the lives assured, are entitled to take as owners or members of or partners in the undertakings in question.'