WRITTEN QUESTION E-3370/01 by Toine Manders (ELDR) to the Commission. Licences for football clubs.
Date: 2001-12-06
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European association, Italy, Spain, approximation of laws, financial management, sports body

C 160 E/104

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.7.2002

(cid:1) 26 628 t in November 2001,

(cid:1) 9 750 t from 1 to 11 December 2001, and

(cid:1) 16 933 t from 1 to 21 January 2002.

The Commission has no comments on the prices of tomatoes on the markets of central Europe.

(1) OJ L 70, 18.3.2000.
(2) Annex II to Council Regulation (EC) No 747/2001 providing for the management of Community tariff quotas and
of reference quantities for products eligible for preferences by virtue of agreements with certain Mediterranean
countries (OJ L 109, 19.4.2001). Council Regulation (EC) No 2264/2001 introducing certain temporary
autonomous concessions in the form of Community tariff quotas applicable to imports into the Community of
tomatoes originating in the Kingdom of Morocco (OJ L 305, 22.11.2001).
(3) Oranges, clementines, cucumbers, artichokes, courgettes and strawberries.

(2002/C 160 E/135)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3370/01

by Toine Manders (ELDR) to the Commission

(6 December 2001)

Subject: Licences for football clubs

Recently, there have been numerous reports in the press about the financial problems of football clubs in
Italy and Spain. Their total debts run to billions of euro.

In the Netherlands, clubs are not permitted to run up such huge debts, because of the licensing policy
pursued by the national football federation, the KNVB. Under this policy, each club must demonstrate at
the beginning of the national competition that its financial policy is sound. If a club has unacceptably large
debts, it is not granted a licence to take part in the national competition.

In most Member States, no such policy exists. As a result, clubs can incur excessive debts in order to
contract the best players and perform better. This is a violation of European competition law. UEFA has
recognised this problem and has therefore decided to carry out a pilot project next year with a licensing
policy similar to that which already applies in the Netherlands. Under this approach, it will take too long
to eliminate the aforementioned distortion of the internal market.

Would it be desirable to introduce a European licensing policy to prevent distortion of competition arising
from the differences of approach to the financial policy which football clubs are required to pursue in the
various Member States?

Will the Commission use its influence to secure more rapid and compulsory introduction of the licensing
policy referred to here in consultation with UEFA and FIFA?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(11 March 2002)

The Commission is aware of the problem to which the Honourable Member refers. Differences in financial
management rules between football clubs in the various Member States may create de facto inequalities
between these clubs. The Commission welcomes all
initiatives from the Union of European Football
Associations (UEFA) or from national sporting federations with a view to reducing these differences and
making the rules in force more consistent.

Nevertheless, the Commission does not itself plan to take any specific initiatives in this field. It feels that at
this stage it is up to the competent authorities, whether public or sporting authorities, to take the
necessary measures to harmonise the management rules of European clubs.