WRITTEN QUESTION E-1861/03 by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Minotauro project.
Date: 2003-06-06
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, EU initiative, animal show, protection of animals, regional cooperation

6.2.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 33 E/181

(2004/C 33 E/183)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1860/03

by Joost Lagendijk (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(6 June 2003)

Subject: State aid for football clubs

A number of professional football clubs in the Netherlands have recently received financial assistance from
local authorities to rescue them from the threat of bankruptcy. Similar practices occur in other Member
States. Local politicians are under heavy pressure from clubs and supporters, in the face of a lack of clarity
surrounding European competition rules.

Does the Commission agree with the author of this question that the provision of financial assistance to
football clubs by the authorities (state aid) leads to distortion of competition on the European football
market?

How does the Commission define the European football market, and where does it consider the dividing
line between national football markets and the European market to lie? Does it regard only the market for
players as important, or does the football market have other aspects that are relevant to competition?

Is the Commission prepared (cid:1) in the light of the fact that, taking advantage of the lack of clarity
surrounding the permissibility of assistance, the authorities in the Netherlands, and also in other Member
States, are currently assisting football clubs by a variety of means (cid:1) to submit as soon as possible a
communication laying down the necessary framework conditions for assistance to football clubs, so as to
put an end to the present situation characterised by a lack of clarity and by distortion of competition?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(10 July 2003)

Article 87(1) of the EC Treaty stipulates that ‘aid granted by a Member State, which distorts competition by
favouring a specific undertaking, shall insofar as it affects trade between Member States be incompatible
with the common market’.

Professional football clubs that engage in economic activities, like selling broadcasting rights, concluding
advertising and sponsorship contracts and distributing merchandising articles are to be considered
undertakings. A transfer of financial resources to certain professional football clubs is likely to distort
competition between these undertakings.

The question is not whether there is a European football market though, but whether the mentioned
activities are subject to trade between Member States. Not all football clubs are performing all these
activities. In addition, it seems that not in all of these cases an effect on trade between Member States can
be established.

Since the application of state aid rules is relatively new in this sector, the Commission maintains that its
policy has to be developed on the basis of individual cases. In its practice up to now the Commission has,
in certain cases, not objected to subsidies in this sector when the state subsidies served an educational
objective or the aid was granted for the construction of stadiums which can be under certain conditions
considered as general infrastructure. The Commission will continue to develop and clarify its policy in this
area, when dealing with specific cases.

(2004/C 33 E/184)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1861/03

by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(6 June 2003)

Subject: Minotauro project

The Spanish ‘Minotauro’ project, which includes bull running and may possibly include bullfighting, has
Interreg IIIC is designed to
been proposed for financing under the Interreg IIIC South programme.

C 33 E/182

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.2.2004

strengthen the economic and social cohesion of the European Union by promoting cooperation between
regions and communities in fields regarded as of common interest, whether or not the regions concerned
border on one another.

Interreg IIIC projects always receive national co-financing.

The national and regional authorities, as members of the steering committee, have powers to examine,
evaluate and select projects.

Does the Commission have evidence suggesting that the Minotauro project might be in contravention of
the Nice Treaty?

Does the Commission regard the use of animals for entertainment under the guise of cultural exchange as
appropriate in this day and age?

What cities/regions are participating in the Minotauro project?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(24 July 2003)

The Community Initiative Interreg IIIC seeks to promote interregional cooperation between regional and
local authorities across the whole of the EU territory. It is financed by the European Regional Development
Fund (ERDF) and part-financed by the national partners in each project.

An application for Community part-financing under Interreg IIIC was submitted for the Minotauro project
under a call for proposals, the closing date of which was 10 January 2003 and in respect of which the
selection process has not yet been completed. It was presented under the Interreg IIIC South programme
and its lead agency is located in Spain. It involves nine partners, from four Member States (Greece, Spain,
France and Portugal). The partners are local authorities (mayor’s offices in Cuéllar, San Sebastián de los
Reyes, Moura, Beziers, Ciudad Rodrigo, Segorbe, Ampuero, Soria and Lychnostatis).

According to information available to the Commission, the intention of the promoters of the Minotauro
project is not to finance bullfighting activities directly but rather to network their towns from a cultural
point of view. Moreover, no mention is made in the application file submitted of bullfighting activities.

Matters concerned with the priority to be given to concrete projects or the advisability of such projects
have to be considered by the entities which, under Community law and in accordance with the principle
of subsidiarity, are responsible for examining, assessing and selecting projects to be financed by the
Structural Funds, i.e. programming committees made up of representatives from the Member States, the
regions and other relevant bodies.

Moreover, the rules governing bullfighting and related activities fall within the competence of the Member
States.

(2004/C 33 E/185)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1862/03

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(6 June 2003)

Subject: Conflicting information concerning financial returns from, and the impact on the environment and

health of, the expansion of Sofia airport

1.
Is the Commission aware of the comments made on 24 April 2003 by 23 representatives of
Bulgarian organisations concerned with the protection of nature and the environment regarding the effects
of preparations for expanding Sofia airport, according to which:

(a)

the ‘Internal Rate of Return (IRR) for this project will be only 3,6 % (or 1,5 % excluding the ISPA
contribution), whilst the ’Transport Infrastructure Regional Study’ (TIRS) takes as its basis a figure of
12 to 15 % and, for countries with large debts and a low capacity for repayment, even of 25 to 30 %;