WRITTEN QUESTION E-3378/02 by Margrietus van den Berg (PSE) to the Commission. State aid for Dutch football clubs.
Date: 2002-11-27
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Netherlands, State aid, application of EU law, case-law (EU), control of State aid, professional sport, sports body, type of business

C 242 E/56

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

9.10.2003

population. The main focal areas are rural development, health and basic education, with special attention
paid to human rights and good governance initiatives.

The Commission maintains a consistent policy of constructive political dialogue with the Laotian
Government as well as continuously assisting the people of the country through the Community’s
development aid programmes, designed to bolster and speed up the process of national democratisation,
and humanitarian aid programmes which,
in accordance with international humanitarian principles,
provide relief to the most vulnerable sections of the population, the victims of forcible resettlement.

(1) OJ L 163, 2.7.1996.

(2003/C 242 E/056)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3378/02

by Margrietus van den Berg (PSE) to the Commission

(27 November 2002)

Subject: State aid for Dutch football clubs

The European Commission has indicated to the Netherlands Government that it is not happy with the
government aid being granted to football clubs in the Netherlands.

Does the Commission share my view that, given the social significance of sport (cid:1) acknowledged in the
Treaty of Nice (cid:1) a yardstick is required that is different from the manifest disapproval of aid to football
clubs?

Is the Commission prepared to discuss the matter again, bearing in mind the Treaty of Nice which
acknowledges the role which sport plays in society and which does not refer to sport as being a subject to
be dealt with in the context of unfair competition?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(8 January 2003)

The Dutch government sent the Commission in June 2002 a letter stating that state aid to football clubs in
whatever form is not be considered as state aid. The Commission has responded that it could not agree
with this observation in general. According to jurisprudence of the Court of Justice, professional football
clubs have to be regarded as undertakings. Therefore, financial support to these undertakings falls in
principle under the state aid rules. The Commission added that, however, without a full examination of the
details in a specific case, the Commission is not in the position to take a view on the question whether or
not public support for football clubs is compatible with these rules on state aid.

The Declaration of Nice acknowledges the principle that sport as such entails social, as well as educational
and cultural functions. The European Council, therefore, requests the Community institutions and the
Member States to implement their policies, in compliance with the EC Treaty, in accordance with their
respective powers and in the light of this principle.

In the letter mentioned above, the Commission has actually asserted that for example subsidies granted by
the French authorities for the purpose of giving school education to young people combined with sports
training performed by professional football clubs does not constitute aid. The Commission herewith acts in
line with the principles referred to in the Declaration of Nice.

However, at the same time under certain circumstances aid to professional football clubs might involve
state aid elements.