Est. 3min 09-05-2008 (updated: 28-05-2012 ) sport_girls_team.jpg Euractiv is part of the Trust Project >>> Languages: Français | DeutschPrint Email Facebook X LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram MEPs have backed Commission plans for a specific EU sport policy, while urging the EU executive to provide clearer guidelines on how EU law applies in sport and calling for an EU sport budget for 2009. 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. Read more with Euractiv EU researchers to study asthma at Olympics A pan-European study will examine the prevalence of asthma among European athletes set to take part in the Beijing Olympics and assess the impact of the local environment and air quality on the disease. PositionsThe report "confirms that the European Commission took the right approach when we adopted the White Paper on Sport in July last year," said the Commissioner in charge of sport, Ján Figel’, after the vote. However, MEP Christopher Heaton-Harris (EPP-ED) thinks that MEPs and politicians should stick to watching sport instead of trying to regulate it. "Politicians should not be interfering in sport, but the EU seems determined to add bureaucracy to anything it can. Sport should be run by the people who know it best - leagues, clubs and governing bodies - and certainly not by MEPs. Sport does have some problems, but the solutions suggested by the Parliament are misguided and far too prescriptive," he said. "Sport has become so important to the EU economy — producing €407 billion a year and employing 15 million people - that the EU must play its part in securing its future development,"said MEP Christa Prets (Socialist). "We ask FIFA to join forces with the European Parliament (and the European Commission) and fully back the 'home-grown' rule: football clubs need to have a minimal number of locally-trained players in the team of core players (8 out of 25 players, of which 4 trained by the club and 4 trained in the same league)," said MEP Ivo Belet (EPP-ED). "The 'home-grown' rule is not perfect and is fairly modest in its approach, but it does encourage clubs to invest more in locally-trained talent and therefore deserves our full support. Moreover, this measure does not impose any limitations as regards the nationality of the players," he added. MEP Toine Manders (ALDE) believes the report is "a strong signal to FIFA that it can't set rules ignoring EU's social and economical laws". BackgroundSport is not an EU competence and is subject to Community law insofar as it constitutes an economic activity. But the Lisbon Treaty, currently undergoing ratification, foresees the introduction of sport into the treaty to give the EU a legal base to support member states in the social, educational and cultural aspects of sport (see Article 182 on Sport of the Constitutional Treaty). In July 2007, the Commission adopted a White Paper on Sport and an Action Plan detailing concrete proposals for future EU action on the societal role of sport, its economic dimension as well as organisational aspects. Timeline The White Paper will now be debated and voted in Council. Nov. 2008: The Commission will organise a European Sport Forum to discuss the implementation of the White Paper with European sports stakeholders. Further ReadingEuropean Union PreLex:White Paper on Sport [FR] [FR] [DE] Commission press release:European Parliament Report welcomes the Commission's White Paper on Sport(8 May 2008) European Parliament news:Towards an EU policy on sport - MEPs concerned about TV rights, player selections and doping(8 May 2008) European Parliament news:Towards an EU policy on sport - TV rights, player selections and doping(5 May 2008) Political Groups Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe press release:White paper on Sport passes EP hurdle(8 May 2008) Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats press release:White Paper on Sports: The European Parliament asks FIFA to abolish '6+5' rule. Ivo Belet MEP(7 May 2008) Socialist Group in the European Parliament press release:"Give sport across Europe a boost," say Socialists(8 May 2008) Socialistes Français au Parlement européen:Carton rouge à la dérégulation des sports professionnels européens!(8 May 2008) Conservatives in the European ParliamentRed card to Commission's proposals on sport(8 May 2008) Business & Industry European Lotteries (EL) press release:European Parliament warns of gambling liberalisation(8 May 2008)
