# CE2004084EN.01081601.xml

| 3.4.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 84/816 |
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3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 84/816

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(2004/C 84 E/0911)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0600/04

by Generoso Andria (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(23 February 2004)

Subject:   Remuneration of amateur football managers

Subject:

Football is a very popular sport in Italy which is played by large numbers of young people.

The astronomical sums paid to professional footballers have created major problems for all clubs and have required government intervention in the form of the ‘Spalma-debiti’ decree allowing clubs to spread their debts over ten years.

This decree is now under close scrutiny by the Competition Commissioner Mario Monti.

Amateur football is a sport which gives young people the opportunity to develop their physical and mental skills in the open air and participation has always been unpaid or the amounts involved have been very small.

The chairmen of amateur clubs also incur considerable expenses without any remuneration apart from their love of the game.

However, other managers in the football sector, from the President of the League to board members, are known to receive remuneration of thousands of euro in the form of per diem allowances to cover their expenses, which are questionable from the tax point of view and circumvent the provisions of Article 10 of the law governing the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) which says that the duties performed by officers shall not be remunerated and prohibits offices in the federation from being held by those who derive financial gain from their involvement in football.

Can the Commission say whether this situation amounts to a distortion of competition in a particularly sensitive sector or involves serious irregularities?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(25 March 2004)

(25 March 2004)

Regarding the question of whether the fact that the President and board members of the football League — as opposed to chairmen of amateur clubs — are remunerated, amounts to a distortion of competition or involves serious irregularities with respect to the law governing the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), the Commission wishes to indicate the following:

| — | as regards a possible infringement of competition rules, this could only arise in connection to behaviour of undertakings or from the granting of State aid to undertakings. The circumstances described in the question do not seem to concern undertakings and are, therefore, outside the scope of the competition rules of the EC Treaty; |
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as regards a possible infringement of competition rules, this could only arise in connection to behaviour of undertakings or from the granting of State aid to undertakings. The circumstances described in the question do not seem to concern undertakings and are, therefore, outside the scope of the competition rules of the EC Treaty;

| — | the Honourable Member states that the remunerations paid are questionable from a tax point of view. In that respect, the Commission would like to point out that Member States are free to set their own rules regarding direct taxation, as long as they do not infringe the EC Treaty or any relevant secondary Community legislation. In this case there appears to be no such infringement; |
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the Honourable Member states that the remunerations paid are questionable from a tax point of view. In that respect, the Commission would like to point out that Member States are free to set their own rules regarding direct taxation, as long as they do not infringe the EC Treaty or any relevant secondary Community legislation. In this case there appears to be no such infringement;

| — | as regards possible irregularities with respect to the law governing the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) these are matters outside the competence of the Commission. Indeed, the Commission recalls that the Union does not have a specific competence in the field of sport, which is organised by sporting organisations. Nevertheless, the Commission agrees on the important and positive contribution of voluntariness and has included it among the objectives of the European Year of Education through Sport 2004. |
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as regards possible irregularities with respect to the law governing the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) these are matters outside the competence of the Commission. Indeed, the Commission recalls that the Union does not have a specific competence in the field of sport, which is organised by sporting organisations. Nevertheless, the Commission agrees on the important and positive contribution of voluntariness and has included it among the objectives of the European Year of Education through Sport 2004.

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