WRITTEN QUESTION P-0307/01 by Pietro-Paolo Mennea (ELDR) to the Commission. Violence against referees at football matches.
Date: 2001-02-02
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU aid, EU police cooperation, Italy, competence of the Member States, hooliganism, sporting event, violence

4.4.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 81 E/3

Reply

(20 November 2001)

The Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia was signed
at the General Affairs Council on 9 April. The legal base of the Decision to sign was identical to that
proposed by the Commission, i.e. the TEC and in particular Article 310 in conjunction with the first
subparagraph of Article 300(2).

As far as the Commission(cid:146)s proposal for a Council and Commission Decision on the conclusion of the
Stabilisation and Association Agreement is concerned, the legal basis proposed by the Commission is the
TEC and in particular Article 310 thereof in conjunction with Article 300(2), first subparagraph, and
Article 300(3), second subparagraph thereof,
the Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel
in particular Article 95 thereof and the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy
Community,
Community, in particular the second paragraph of Article 101 thereof. The Council has reached a common
orientation on this legal basis, as proposed by the Commission, and this was also the basis upon which the
Council requested the Parliament(cid:146)s assent. The Parliament gave its assent on 2 May 2001.

Member States have ratified the Stabilisation and Association Agreement nationally. Once these procedures
have been completed, the Council and Commission Decision on the conclusion of the Agreement can take
place. In the meantime, an Interim Agreement will cover the commercial parts of the Stabilisation and
Association Agreement. The Interim Agreement will enter into force on 1 June this year.

(2002/C 81 E/005)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0307/01

by Pietro-Paolo Mennea (ELDR) to the Commission

Subject: Violence against referees at football matches

(2 February 2001)

In the Italian football league, acts of violence against referees have become an extremely serious problem,
both with regard to the personal safety of the referees themselves and because they set an extremely bad
example for society as a whole. As is borne out by press reports and statements made by referees(cid:146)
representatives, referees are increasingly being subjected to psychological pressure and actual physical
threats. For instance, to take but two examples of the huge number of recent incidents, death threats were
made against a referee during a Serie A match, and, at a (cid:145)Promozione(cid:146) (amateur league) match held on
3 December 2000 in San Cassiano (Lecce) in Puglia, the referee was actually threatened with a gun in the
changing rooms.

Given the above, what action does the Commission intend to take, over and above the measures already
provided for in such cases, with a view to at least curbing such violence. Would it not agree that special
provision should be made in the relevant support programmes for measures to combat violence in sport?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(10 September 2001)

Like the Honourable Member, the Commission is concerned by the phenomenon of violence in sport,
particularly against referees.

In the Helsinki report on sport (1), the Commission manifested its attachment to ethical sport which could
serve as a model for all who practice sport, particularly the young. It noted that violence at sporting events
is unacceptable. It also emphasised the need for convergent endeavours by all the partners in the field of
sport, with due respect for the principle of subsidiarity. However, as regards the issue of violence in
stadiums and the protection of referees, responsibility rests primarily with the Member States in association
with the organisers of sporting events, normally sports associations or federations.

C 81 E/4

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.4.2002

Within the context of police cooperation, initiatives have been taken to combat hooliganism in football.
This has led to more effective cooperation between Member States(cid:146) police services. Examples include the
possibility of sending police officers to another Member State in order to track supporters and cooperate
with local authorities; the establishment of common (cid:145)standards(cid:146) for safety measures in countries hosting
international sporting events; and Council recommendations on the prevention and control of disorder at
football matches. A recent example is the Dutch-Belgian project (cid:145)Police Expertise Euro 2000(cid:146), which
evaluates the police involvement in the Euro 2000 soccer championship. It aims at drawing conclusions
on how to further improve measures and cooperation for future similar events. The project was financed
by the Union(cid:146)s (cid:145)OISIN(cid:146) programme for police and customs cooperation.

The Commission would also inform the Honourable Member that, under the aegis of the Council of
Europe, the Member States of the Union cooperate within the framework of the (cid:145)European Convention on
Spectator Violence and Misbehaviour at Sports Events and in Particular at Football Matches(cid:146) (2).

Finally, the Commission would point out that there is no specific support programme for sport.

(1) Report from the European Commission to the European Council with a view to safeguarding current sports
structures and maintaining the social function of sport within the Community framework (cid:129) Helsinki Report on
Sport (cid:129) COM(1999) 644 of 1.12.1999.

(2) European Convention on Spectator Violence and Misbehaviour at Sports Events and in Particular at Football

Matches (cid:129) No 120 in the European Treaty Series (cid:129) 19 August 1985.

(2002/C 81 E/006)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0385/01

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(15 February 2001)

Subject: EU funds

What is the total of EU grants and funding spent in or allocated to the south-east region of the United
Kingdom for each of the last five years for which figures are available?

Supplementary answer
given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(28 November 2001)

Further to its answer of 23 March 2001 (1), the Commission is sending the information requested direct to
the Honourable Member and to Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat.

(1) OJ C 174 E, 19.6.2001, p. 262.

(2002/C 81 E/007)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0430/01

by Raffaele Lombardo (PPE-DE) to the Council

(20 February 2001)

Subject: Regulation of civil and military air traffic in Europe

There have recently been a number of extremely serious cases of military aircraft encroaching on civilian
air space over Italy. In view of the very real danger posed by breaches of the rules in force on safety
distances and, more generally, by the lack of supranational rules governing air navigation, and in order to
ensure the safety of users and to reconcile this with the needs of the military,