WRITTEN QUESTION P-0788/98

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(5 March 1998)

Subject: Sale of World Cup tickets

Given the Commission reply to my earlier question (E-0029/98(1)) on the subject of the sale of tickets is the Commission aware that the World Cup is in fact due to take place this June? Does the Commission recall its statement following Italia 90 and a reply to another question tabled on all-inclusive travel packages (P-3480/95(2))? Can the Commission explain why it is so slow in taking action against the French distribution of tickets given that problems were first raised in June 1997 and will the Commission immediately inform FIFA who have taken over aspects of ticket allocation that they like the French authorities are not in fact above EU law?

Supplementary answer

given by Mr Van Miert on behalf of the Commission

(18 June 1998)

Further to its answer of 8 April 1998(3), the Commission is now able to provide the following additional information.

The Honourable Member can be assured that the Commission is well aware that the forthcoming football World Cup will commence in June 1998. Indeed, since learning in January 1998 of the difficulties experienced by many football supporters in their attempts to obtain tickets directly from the French organising committee (CFO), the Commission considered it a priority to seek to ensure that all remaining unsold tickets were sold exclusively to Union citizens outside France on a non-discriminatory basis.

As the Honourable Member might be aware, in March of this year the CFO responded negatively to the Commission request, indicating that it would instead offer all remaining tickets to French and non-French residents alike on a non-discriminatory basis. While some supporters outside France will have benefited from this decision, there are reasons to suspect that it did not sufficiently compensate those who were denied the opportunity of purchasing tickets as a result of the discriminatory sales arrangements that applied previously. The Commission's services have therefore been instructed to prepare formal legal proceedings against the tournament organisers in relation to those sales. To this end further information has recently been requested from the CFO and International federation of association football (FIFA), as organisers of the tournament, with a view to establishing in more detail the extent of the discriminatory behaviour in question.

The Honourable Member asserts that the Commission has been slow in taking action in relation to discriminatory sales arrangements in France. The Commission would inform the Honourable Member that in March 1997, during discussions concerning ticket sales arrangements through tour operators, it made it clear to the CFO that arrangements requiring those wishing to purchase tickets to prove residency in France were discriminatory and therefore unacceptable. Furthermore, when the CFO informed the Commission in January 1998 that consumers wishing to purchase tickets directly from the committee had been required to provide an address in France, action was taken quickly to bring an end to the discriminatory behaviour in question.

The Honourable Member also refers to the Commission's response to his written question P-3480/95(4) concerning travel packages for football supporters. The Commission would like to reaffirm its intention, as expressed in that response, to ensure as far as possible that ticket distribution systems of sporting events fully comply with Community competition rules.

(1) OJ C 223, 17.7.1998, p. 89.

(2) OJ C 137, 8.5.1996, p. 14.

(3) OJ C 310, 9.10.1998, p. 130.

(4) OJ C 137, 8.5.1996.