In a non-binding report on the Commission's White Paper on Sport, adopted on 8 May by a large majority (518 in favour 49 against and 9 abstentions), the European Parliament welcomed the increased focus on sports policies at EU level and the more prominent role for sports in the EU's new Lisbon Treaty.
A specific budget
Noting that the Lisbon Treaty foresees incentive measures in the area of sport, MEPs requested the set-up of a special budget line in the 2009 budget for preparatory actions in the field of sport.
Respecting EU rules
While MEPs agreed with the Commission that most sporting challenges can be addressed through self-regulation and that the autonomy of professional sport representative structures at national level, such as the leagues, should be preserved, they said this must not be done at the price of EU law.
They thus called on the Commission "to provide more legal certainty by creating clear guidelines on the applicability of European law to sports in Europe".
Concern over doping and gambling
The House also called for more EU action on doping in sport, inviting the Commission to consider trade in illicit doping substances in the same way it does trade in other illegal drugs.
They further voiced concerns over the possible deregulation of lotteries and gambling markets as they consider it appropriate to use the profits derived from these activities for purposes that are in the public interest, such as financing sport. They also stressed the need to ensure that sport is protected from any improper influence relating to betting.
Fighting discrimination
MEPs called on the international football association (FIFA) to abandon its plan to reintroduce limits on foreign players in club competitions. They insist the hailed '6 + 5' rule, under which at least six players on the field at the beginning of each match would have to be from the country of the club they are playing for, could create discrimination based on nationality.
Instead, MEPs back the UEFA 'home-grown' rule, which the Commission's White Paper also finds acceptable. According to the 'home-grown' rule, football clubs need to have a minimum number of locally-trained players in the team of core players.
