WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1428/98 by John IVERSEN to the Council. Football international between Germany and Nigeria
Date: 1998-05-11
Institutions: European Parliament, IVERSEN
Subjects: Germany, Nigeria, admission of aliens, common position, human rights, international sanctions, migration control, sporting event

C 323/130

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

21. 10. 98

1.
Does the Council agree that, by issuing visas to Nigerian citizens and arranging the match against Nigeria in
preparation for the World Championships, the Federal Republic of Germany is contravening Common Position
95/544/CFSP  of  the  Council  of  4  December  1995  and  the  Council  Decision  of  28  November  1997  on  the
implementation of this common position, and especially Article 1(2) thereof?

2.

If so, what conclusions does the Council intend to draw from this contravention?

3. Were the Council and all the Member States informed before the visas were issued (Article 2)?

4.

How did the Member States view this?

5. What, if anything, has the Council done to ensure compliance with the decision?

6. What measures has the Council planned to ensure that in the future the Member States comply with the
decision on the common position concerning Nigeria?

(1)  OJ L 309, 21.12.1995, p. 1.

(98/C 323/201)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1428/98

by John Iversen (PSE) to the Council

(11 May 1998)

Subject: Football international between Germany and Nigeria

According  to  the  British  Presidency,  does  the  international  between  Germany  and  Nigeria  on  22  April  1998
conflict with the boycott imposed by the EU countries on Nigeria? The EU countries have undertaken to impose
extensive sanctions, including a sports boycott, on Nigeria.

A friendly between Germany and Nigeria cannot be compared to a world cup match for which Nigeria has been
granted  an  exemption.  Entry  permits  for  Nigerian  players  to  participate  in  a  two-nation  friendly  on  German
territory must therefore conflict with EU sanctions.

Joint answer
to Written Questions P-1386/98 and E-1428/98

(6 July 1998)

The European Union has repeatedly expressed its grave concern at the situation in Nigeria. The Council reflected
this on 28 November 1997 with its decision to extend the EU Common Position on Nigeria of 4 December 1995
(95/544/CFSP) until 1 November 1998. The Council remains firmly committed to securing change in Nigeria, to
which  it  believes  the  measures  set  out  against  Nigeria  in  Common  Position  95/544/CFSP,  including  the
interruption of EU-Nigeria sporting links, are making a useful contribution.

Article  1,  paragraphe  2,  of  Council  Decision  97/820/CFSP  on  the  implementation  of  Common  Position
95/544/CFSP allows Member States to decide not to apply the restrictions on sporting links in order to fulfil prior
undertakings given in respect of sporting events organised by international sports federations, that is to say the
1998  World  Cup  finals  and  matches  already  organised  in  preparations  for  it  and  the  1998  World  Basketball
Championships. The match between Germany and Nigeria on 22 April 1998 was a preparatory match for the
World Cup already organised before the adoption of Council Decision 97/820/CFSP. The Council was aware of
this at the time it adopted this Decision and agreed that Germany could issue visas to members of the Nigerian
team. Germany did not, therefore, contravene Common Position 95/544/CFSP by issuing them.