WRITTEN QUESTION E-2501/00

by José Ribeiro e Castro (UEN) to the Commission

(2 August 2000)

Subject: Recognition of the specific characteristics of sport in the Treaties

The special nature of sport and its due recognition in the protocol annexed to the Treaties has recently been put back on the agenda.

The conclusions of the recent Feira Summit, the last under the Portuguese Presidency, state: the European Council requests the Commission and the Council to take account of the specific characteristics of sport in Europe and its social function in managing common policies.

Jacques Delors also addressed this subject in a recent interview(1): mldr taking a decision on the free movement of footballers by analogy with the free movement of workers is a step which will have far-reaching consequences for the future of sport at educational and grass-roots level. (mldr) I have drawn Jacques Chirac's and Lionel Jospin's attention to the need to draw up a protocol on the special status of sport in Europe in the same way as there is a special status for culture so as to give sport a moral dimension, stressing the educational aspect. (mldr) It would also be sensible to require every professional club competing in championships in the Member States of the European Union to use at least six players of the nationality of the country concerned. (mldr) It is its (the French Presidency's) responsibility to incorporate the protocol which I am advocating in the future Treaty of Nice in December 2000.

When presenting the chief components of the programme of the French Presidency to the European Parliament (Strasbourg, 4 July 2000), President Jacques Chirac also gave an assurance that we must ensure that the European Union takes greater account of the special nature of sport and its social function. This is a real problem which needs to be studied and resolved. The French Presidency will endeavour to do so.

Has the Commission paid due attention to the above conclusion of the Feira Summit and to the objective in question, which was emphatically reaffirmed by the French Presidency? What action is the Commission taking with a view to the forthcoming adoption of a protocol annexed to the Treaties in which due recognition will be given to the special characteristics of sport and which will provide an adequate and balanced response to the various problems which have been debated in detail and at length, bearing in mind the social, public and educational value of sport, including professional sport?

(1) Le Figaro, 4 July 2000, first section, p. 13.

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(25 September 2000)

The delegations representing the Governments of the Member States and the Commission, which have scrupulously respected the remit of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC), have not so far put forward any formal proposals at the IGC on the inclusion of sport in the EC Treaty.

It was the European Council which set the IGC's ambitious but very focused remit: to resolve the institutional issues left open in Amsterdam that need to be settled before enlargement.

The positions adopted by the Commission at the IGC take account of this framework. The Commission has chosen not to propose any extension of powers at this Conference.