WRITTEN QUESTION P-1900/02 by Pietro-Paolo Mennea (PPE-DE) to the Commission. 2002 World Cup.
Date: 2002-06-24
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: non-governmental organisation, professional sport, self-regulation, sporting event, sports body

5.12.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 301 E/243

The Commission has already opened an official complaint on the situation mentioned by the Honourable
Member and a letter has been sent to the Italian authorities to request information on the issue. The Italian
reply is under assessment and the Commission will
take appropriate steps in order to ensure the
observance of Community law.

(2002/C 301 E/257)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1888/02

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Professional training in Greece

(1 July 2002)

In Greece, unemployed people who participate in subsidised professional training programmes receive the
subsidy eight to ten months after completing training. The trainers are paid two to three years after the
conclusion of training programmes.

Does the Commission consider the length of time which unemployed people and trainers have to

1.
wait before receiving their money to be satisfactory?

2.

It is satisfied with the results of professional training in Greece in relation to the second CSF?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(19 August 2002)

During the period 1994-1999,

1.
in agreement with the Commission,
the Ministry of Labour,
established common rules and regulations for the management, monitoring, control and evaluation of
European Social Fund-financed training actions across the Community Support Framework (CSF) for
Greece.

According to these rules, the payment of the trainees’ allowance had to be paid by the training provider as
a priority following the completion of the training courses.

Annual expenditure incurred for training actions under the different Operational Programmes was paid on
the basis of annual final payment claims presented to the Commission by the Member State six months
following the end of the year concerned.

The effectiveness of vocational training actions under the CSF 1994-1999 will be examined as a

2.
whole following the conclusion of the ex-post evaluation exercise.

(2002/C 301 E/258)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1900/02

by Pietro-Paolo Mennea (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(24 June 2002)

Subject: 2002 World Cup

The honour and pride of various European countries taking part in the World Cup have been undermined
by the incompetence and lack of professionalism shown by some referees.

The mistakes made by referees can severely damage the economic interests of legal persons operating in
the football sector, and even cause them to go bankrupt.

The World Cup, a major sporting event organised by FIFA, does not afford the necessary guarantees of
credibility and reliability.

Given that it is a body governed by private law which has its headquarters in Switzerland, FIFA does not
have the international representativeness required to organise an event of this kind.

C 301 E/244

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

5.12.2002

The principle of internal democracy which, particularly in national and international sporting bodies, needs
to be strengthened, is far from properly applied within the organisation run by FIFA.

Throughout its long history as the governing body of world football, FIFA has shown that it is averse to
any interference in its management and control procedures.

The economic interests involved in football today are so immense that they give rise to enormous powers.

International sporting bodies such as FIFA are today protected by rigid hierarchical structures made up of
persons who, backed up by the huge economic influence they exert, are determined to remain in the
positions they have occupied for decades.

Given the above:

(cid:1) would the Commission state whether the current hierarchical structure of European sport is still

legally admissible, or whether the European Union should take action to bring about change?

(cid:1) does it consider it appropriate to promote the setting up an alternative international sporting body to
tournaments (something which the

organise and manage European and international
European Parliament recommended in September 2000, in a report on sport)?

football

(cid:1) can it approach the Member States with a view to ensuring that their national sporting bodies leave

FIFA and join another organisation?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(17 July 2002)

The Commission would like to reiterate the value it attaches to the principle of the autonomy of sporting
organisations. Its approach is reflected in the Helsinki Report on Sport (1), in which it emphasises the
central role of sports federations and expresses the view that ‘the integrity and autonomy of sport must be
preserved’.

In the Nice declaration (2) of December 2000 on ‘the specific characteristics of sport and its social function
in Europe, of which account should be taken in implementing common policies’, the European Council
agreed with this principle, stressing its ‘support for the independence of sports organisations and their
right to organise themselves through appropriate associative structures’. It recognised the fact that it is the
task of sports organisations, with due regard for national and Community legislation and on the basis of a
democratic and transparent method of operation,
to organise and promote their particular sports,
particularly as regards the specifically sporting rules applicable and the make-up of national teams, in the
way which they think best reflects their objectives.

Summing up, the Commission does not have any other powers to intervene in discussions on the
autonomy of sport and the organisation of major competitions. This includes mistakes which might be
made by referees. Nor is it the Commission’s task to encourage the creation of a new international sporting
body or to ask Member States to adopt a specific position with regard to the Fédération Internationale de
Football Association (FIFA). Finally, the Commission would like to make the point that in the document
entitled ‘The European model of sport’ (3), it emphasised the pyramid structure of sport as one of the
model’s main characteristics. However,
the Commission is not responsible for either protecting or
abolishing this model.

(1) Report from the 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:1) The Helsinki Report on Sport (cid:1)
COM(1999) 644 final.

(2) Presidency conclusions (cid:1) Nice European Council (cid:1) 7, 8 and 9 December 2000 (cid:1) Annex IV: Declaration on the
specific characteristics of sport and its social function in Europe, of which account should be taken in implementing
common policies.
‘The European model of sport’, consultation document from the Directorate-General for Education and Culture,
November 1998.

(3)