Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

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| 13.3.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 65/107 |

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(2004/C 65 E/119)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1994/03

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

(10 June 2003)

Subject:   Television rights

There are sports organisations in the Member States which are legal entities different from sports federations, to which they are affiliated, and concern themselves with organising televised sports events.

In paragraph 27of the report on sport adopted on 7 September 2000 (A5-0208/2000) the European Parliament ‘calls for television rights to be granted in compliance with the antitrust law and to companies which take responsibility for the risks involved in preparing the sporting event; calls also for transparency in the granting of television rights’.

The selling of television rights for sports events is an economic activity and should therefore be subject to Community law on competition.

On a number of occasions the European Union has stressed that television rights should belong to legal entities who take responsibility for the business risk, with all that entails, including the risk of failure.

In view of all this, can the Commission say how it intends to ensure and ascertain that the sale and granting of television rights for the broadcasting of sports events, especially light athletics events, comply with legislation on competition, and also ascertain that television rights are owned by sports associations which have taken on the task of organising the event, rather than sports federations which have not done so, and that the rights are granted in accordance with criteria of transparency?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(10 July 2003)

The Commission agrees with the Honourable Member that the selling of television rights of sports events is an economic activity, which is subject to Community competition law.

The sale of TV rights of light athletic events is therefore also in principle a matter, which could fall within the scope of Community competition law. However, regarding the issue raised, namely the problem concerning the ownership of TV rights by the sports associations which have taken the risk of organising the event, it must be noted that, according to Article 295 of the EC Treaty, Community law does not prejudice in any way the system of property ownership.

Furthermore, as regards the exercise of the TV rights of light athletics events and compliance with Community competition rules, the Commission has at present no ongoing procedures, either upon complaint or own initiative investigations, concerning specifically this sports discipline.

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