WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1258/98 by Freddy BLAK to the Commission. Discrimination over the sale of tickets for the World Cup football tournament
Date: 1998-04-29
Institutions: BLAK, European Parliament
Subjects: France, exclusive distribution agreement, infringement of EU law, restriction on competition, sale, sporting event, sports body

C 402/102

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

22.12.98

It should also be stated that Article 90, paragraph 3 of the EC Treaty applies to this area. This requires the
Commission to ensure that Member States neither take nor continue any action that does not obey the rules set out
in the EC Treaty in respect of any public bodies or of bodies to which they grant special or exclusive rights.
Where so needed the Commission may send the appropriate directives or decisions to the Member States.

3.
If Community postal service providers combine activities for which they hold a monopoly with other
activities which are subject to the free forces of competition this does not conflict with Community law. However,
any such combination entails a risk that certain activities exposed to competition are improperly subsidised from
the revenues arising from a protected monopoly. Such an instance could infringe Article 86, Article 92 or Articles
86 and 90, paragraph 1 of the EC Treaty, as explained by the Commission in its communication.

(1) OJ C 39, 6.2.1998.
(2) OJ L 15, 21.1.1998.

(98/C 402/131)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1258/98

by Freddy Blak (PSE) to the Commission

(29 April 1998)

Subject: Discrimination over the sale of tickets for the World Cup football tournament

1. What is the Commission(cid:146)s view of the case concerning discrimination over the sale of tickets for the World
Cup football tournament in France in 1998?

2. What steps has it taken to remedy the situation so that EU citizens are guaranteed equal access to the
purchase of tickets for the 1998 World Cup?

3. What action does it intend to take to ensure that a similar situation does not arise in the future with events of
this kind in the EU?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert on behalf of the Commission

(24 June 1998)

The Commission(cid:146)s services have completed a preliminary assessment of the arrangements for the sale of World
Cup tickets by the tournament organisers (the ComitØ fran(cid:231)ais d(cid:146)organisation de la Coupe du Monde de Football
1998 (CFO), and have taken the preliminary view that they breach the competition provisions of the EC Treaty
insofar as they required those wishing to purchase tickets directly from the CFO to provide an address in France
to which the tickets could be sent. This requirement appears to have discriminated against consumers resident
outside France who, for one reason or another, were unable to obtain tickets through accredited tour operators or
from their respective national football federations. As such the Commission(cid:146)s services have informed the CFO of
their preliminary view that it has abused its dominant position in the market for World Cup tickets contrary to
Article 86 of the EC Treaty.

In order to redress, as far as was possible, the effects of this discriminatory behaviour the Commission asked the
CFO to make available all remaining unsold tickets exclusively to residents outside France. The CFO indicated on
23 March 1998 that it could not agree to such a request but would instead offer these tickets to French and non-
French residents alike on a non-discriminatory basis. In view of this refusal the Commission is currently
preparing formal legal proceedings against the CFO in relation to tickets sold under the above-mentioned
discriminatory arrangements.

The Honourable Member can be assured that the Commission will not hesitate to act against organisers of
international sporting events should similar circumstances arise in the future. Nevertheless, the Commission
would prefer to resolve any problems at an earlier stage, and as such welcomed the recent initiative of the Union
of European Football associations (UEFA) to discuss in full the ticketing arrangements for the 2000 European
football championships with a view to ensuring their compatibility with Community competition rules.