Cite as: 508 U. S. 581 (1993)
Stevens, J., concurring in judgment
poses, however, the important point is that every Court of Appeals has assumed that the federal courts may, at a minimum, enforce compliance with § 302(c)(5)'s express commands.5
Our unanimous opinion in Robinson is consistent with this well-established body of case law. In Robinson, we considered and rejected one of the broader views of § 302(c)(5), holding that the provision does not empower the federal courts to impose a nonstatutory "reasonableness" requirement on trust fund eligibility criteria established by collective-bargaining agreement. 455 U. S., at 574. We also left open the question whether § 302(e) authorizes enforcement of the traditional fiduciary duties of trustees. Id., at 573, n. 12.6 The question with which we had no difficulty,
5 See, e. g., Bowers v. Ulpiano Casal, Inc., 393 F. 2d 421, 424, n. 4 (CA1 1968); Lugo v. Employees Retirement Fund of Illumination Products Industry, 529 F. 2d 251, 254-256 (CA2 1976); Sheet Metal Workers' Local 28 of New Jersey Welfare Fund v. Gallagher, 960 F. 2d 1195, 1210 (CA3 1992); Seafarers Pension Plan v. Sturgis, 630 F. 2d 218, 220-221 (CA4 1980); Johnson v. Franco, 727 F. 2d 442, 446-447 (CA5 1984); Sellers v. O'Connell, 701 F. 2d 575, 577 (CA6 1983); Stinson v. Ironworkers District Council of Southern Ohio and Vicinity Pension Trust, 869 F. 2d 1014, 1019 (CA7 1989); Holcomb v. United Automotive Assn. of St. Louis, Inc., 852 F. 2d 330, 332-335 (CA8 1988); Ponce v. Construction Laborers Pension Trust for Southern California, 628 F. 2d 537, 541-542 (CA9 1980); Ader v. Hughes, 570 F. 2d 303, 306-308 (CA10 1978); Central Florida Sheet Metal Contractors Assn., Inc. v. NLRB, 664 F. 2d 489, 498 (CA5 1981); Central Tool Co. v. International Assn. of Machinists Nat. Pension Fund, 258 U. S. App. D. C. 309, 322, n. 77, 811 F. 2d 651, 664, n. 77 (1987).
6 The Court seems to assume that the question reserved in Robinson was the very different one it answers today. See ante, at 587.
Petitioners, on the other hand, share our understanding of what was decided in Robinson and what remained open for decision. Notwithstanding the protestations of the majority, see ante, at 588-589, n. 2, petitioners' argument on this point was limited to the proposition that § 302(c)(5) does not "establish federal fiduciary standards for trustees of employee benefit plans," Brief for Petitioners 10. Petitioners never argue that § 302(e) does not provide a remedy when the specific standards of § 302(c)(5) are violated; to the contrary, petitioners cite with approval the holding from Bow-
599
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