Memorandum submitted by The Premier League
1. INTRODUCTION
AND OVERVIEW
1.1 The Premier League organises the top
division of English football, with the twenty clubs at any one
time in the League being the shareholders. Each club considers
itself to be a Premier League Club, and looks to the League to
act as its trade association as well as its competition organiser
and regulator. The competition comprises 380 games in a season,
attracts in excess of 300,000 fans each match weekend (an increase
of 60% in 15 years) with an average occupancy over the season
of 92%. Media audiences are also buoyant both in the UK and internationally.
Although the competition will always be the Premier League's principal
concern, we are also committed to football solidarity and corporate
social responsibility. Given our scale, it is inevitable that
the European Commission's White Paper touches on many aspects
of our sporting and commercial activities. We are grateful for
the Commission's inclusive process in the preparation of the White
Paper, and broadly support the scope, analysis and conclusions
of the White Paper, and view its focus on the societal role of
sport and the economic importance of sport in Europe as correct.
1.2 The Premier League welcomes the White
Paper as a significant contribution to both the understanding
and the future development of the relationship between sport in
Europe and the European Union institutions and the body of EU
law. Its findings and recommendations provide a good framework
for the development of the new EU competence for sport envisaged
in the forthcoming Treaty.
1.3 The conclusion that there is no justification
for a single, one size fits all, regulatory structure for sport
across Europe is particularly welcome. Throughout Europe different
sports and competitions are organised in a number of different
ways, arising from each sport's and each culture's different history
and traditions. In recognising this, and in confirming the importance
of the national dimension as the primary level for organising
and administering sport, the White Paper establishes a firm foundation
for the construction of European policy in this area. The general
principle of subsidiarity is easy to apply in the world of sport,
given that existing arrangements for virtually all sports lie
primarily at the level of national governments and national sporting
organisations. This established reality works well, reflecting
the different characteristics of each nation in its approach to
sport. We therefore welcome the White Paper's recognition that
the European Union should respect subsidiarity, with the lead
responsibilities for sport remaining with national sporting bodies
and national governments.
1.4 The White Paper's conclusions on the
specificity on sport are similarly well-founded. European Union
jurisprudence has already established that EU law applies to the
economic dimension of sport, primarily through the application
of competition and free movement rules. We welcome the European
Commission's view that any necessary specificity for sport can
and should be achieved through the existing legal framework and
that calls for exemptions for sport from the normal operation
of EU law are unrealistic and should be rejected.
1.5 The Premier League considers that these
strategic conclusions—about respecting the sheer variety
of sports models throughout Europe, the need to respect subsidiarity,
and the proper application of the specificity of sport within
the law—should remain the modus operandi for EU policy
on sport after the eventual adoption of the Lisbon Treaty. We
believe that this was the drafters' intention in including sport
in the Treaty in the category of "complementary competences".
The new Article 149 explicitly rules out EU harmonisation measures
but does create the possibility of European laws or framework
laws to establish "incentive measures" and "recommendations".
The Premier League would ask the Select Committee, in the exercise
of its scrutiny function, to keep in review the emergence of EU
sport policy in the wake of Treaty adoption, particularly to examine
the extent to which the core White Paper principles are upheld.
The EU complementary competence in sport should support and not
replace national policies and practices.
1.6 The context in which the White Paper
and its action plan are taken forward is now changing. At its
October 2007 White Paper conference, the European Commission stated
that the White Paper and the structured dialogue should now be
viewed in large part as the preparatory work and structure for
the entry into force of the Treaty Article on Sport. In moving
forward, this dialogue with sport should include a wide range
of voices, not just pan-European bodies, and should include those
from national sports bodies, providing as they do the vast majority
of sports activity in Europe.
1.7 We believe that the EU's future focus
in sport should remain on the societal role of sport and the economic
importance of sport in Europe.
The Premier League and Europe
1.8 The Premier League has an established
interest in the development of European Union policies as they
affect sport. The growing power of the European institutions means
that all sports bodies will also have to engage with the European
agenda.
1.9 Improved playing standards and investment
in facilities have seen stadium attendances increase by over 60%
in fifteen years alongside increases in the live television audience
and in marketing income. Buoyant incomes have been re-invested:
in stadium facilities, in playing squads and training standards,
in wider communities and in grassroots football. This has improved
playing standards and the watching experience even further, triggering
further economic and sporting success.
1.10 As a result the Premier League has
become much more than just the United Kingdom's most popular regular
sporting competition. It has also become an important economic
agent, with a significant impact on employment, GDP and national
and local economies. A number of related industries have benefited
from the Premier League's strength, including broadcasting, marketing
and other communications industries, and the travel, tourism and
hospitality industries. Premier League Clubs have become the social
focus of many urban communities and are often the most prominent
symbol of their cities in the UK and around the world.
1.11 The economic success of the Premier
League generates significant taxation revenues for national and
local government, giving the Government and local authorities
a direct interest in the continued economic health of our competition.
It is therefore important to bear in mind that, in considering
the impact of the EU on sport, the relevant policies include employment,
the internal market, economic development, trade, judicial and
legal services, social inclusion, and regional policy as well
as sport itself.
1.12 The Premier League would be keen to
work with the UK Government, the Commission and other sports on
the proposed economic impact study envisaged in the White Paper
action plan in order that the full impact of sport on employment,
GDP and national and local economies can be quantified.
1.13 Sporting and economic success are essential
ingredients in the ability of the Premier League to have a strong
Corporate Social Responsibility policy. Three years ago this policy
was assessed as being worth in excess of £80 million a year
(study published by Deloitte, 2005), making the Premier League
proportionately one of the largest corporate donors in the UK,
almost certainly unequalled by any sporting body in Europe. This
year Deloitte assessed the current contribution as being in excess
of £120 million.
1.14 As a result of the wide consultation
undertaken by the Commission there is much to be welcomed in the
White Paper. The following response to the White Paper explains
where we think the Commission can strengthen the position of sport
at a European level through the exercise of its existing competences—intellectual
property protection, gambling integrity, and business transparency.
We also explain why caution should be exercised on matters where
European policy could foster perverse incentives through excessive
regulation or new initiatives in areas as wide-ranging as locally-trained
youth players or news access to sport.
2. THE SOCIETAL
ROLE OF
SPORT
2.1 The Premier League takes the view that
increased sports participation can be an important factor in tackling
European societal problems in relation to obesity and other health
issues. Our experience shows that the power of football and sport
more broadly can be used effectively to reach into communities
and promote wider social and educational values. We therefore
welcome the focus of the White Paper on the importance of grassroots
sport, the value of participation and the social and educational
role of sport.
2.2 The Premier League has a strong record
of working with statutory bodies, the voluntary sector and commercial
partners to promote health, education, equalities and social inclusion.
Such work has included using the power of football to promote
anti-racism (such as Kick It Out), engage with learning (such
as our Playing for Success partnership with the Department for
Children, Families and Schools), encourage volunteering (such
as our work with the volunteering charity v) and combat
anti-social behaviour (such as our Kickz programme in partnership
with the police). Premier League Clubs also initiate localised
projects to promote healthy lifestyles, for example the Everton
"Healthy Bus" visits local schools, using the power
of football to promote active lifestyles and improve attitudes
to diet and exercise, an initiative which the Premier League intends
to extend to all clubs in partnership with the Department of Health
and Local Authorities. The Premier League also recognises the
importance of relationships with supporter's groups and we provide
funding that is channeled to the Football Supporters Federation
and Supporters Direct, the latter helping smaller clubs in lower
leagues to organise themselves and secure better standards of
governance and financial accountability, and longer-term to acquire
a collective shareholding in their clubs on a not-for-profit basis
for re-investment.
2.3 Effective anti-doping matters are important
to the integrity of sport and the Premier League fully supports
FIFA's adoption of the World Anti-Doping Code.
Education and training, and locally-trained players
2.4 Premier League investment in youth academies
overall is high and rising and the educational and vocational
needs of academy scholars are taken very seriously by the Premier
League and clubs. A recent Ofsted report (November 2007) said
that Premier League Learning (PLL) "makes outstanding use
of the sporting excellence framework to meet the needs of both
learners and employers" and noted that the PLL framework
"provides a very good progression route into higher education
and to other career opportunities in both football and the wider
sports industry. Increasing numbers of scholars now achieve professional
status". In addition, clubs run lifestyle management programmes
to support and educate young players about lifestyle issues, financial
and legal matters and responsible behaviour off the pitch.
2.5 There are few, if any, other leagues
which spend more on talent development than the Premier League,
and the protection and care of young sports people is paramount
in the academy system. We have the most regulated youth programme
in the world, with 134 youth rules and 22 safeguarding rules.
Contrary to some assertions, we believe the academy system is
providing a pool of talent for the national sides, demonstrated
by the recent successes of the U17 and U21 England teams in the
Euro and World competitions (the majority of players being sourced
from PL academies). Approaching 90% of scholarship players in
PL academies are from the British Isles. Clubs like Everton FC
are leading the way playing in bringing on local talent such as
Anichebe, Vaughan, Byrne, Hibbert and Rodwell (youngest ever player
for Everton in Europe), who are all "home-grown", local
footballers.
2.6 The Premier League recognises that there
is always scope to improve how youth development is delivered
and is committed to working with other football stakeholders on
this important area. Following the independent 2007 Lewis Review
of youth development in football, we are working closely with
our fellow stakeholders in the FA and Football League to improve
youth development processes and implement the 64 Review recommendations,
which include new age specific youth coaching awards (which have
been introduced already and form an additional mandatory UEFA
licensing requirement).
2.7 The Premier League notes the Commission's
proposal to conduct a study on locally-trained players and must
highlight the risk that UEFA's Home Grown player quota rule could
engender perverse effects if it were extended beyond their own
competitions. The Premier League believes it would lower standards,
do nothing to raise the quality of English players (it could even
fall if the level of competition fell), and could even incentivise
clubs to bring in foreign talent at ever younger ages, to ensure
they are "home-grown" by the time they become established
first team players. The English FA also recognise this failing.
2.8 Home-grown player rules could tilt the
balance still further in favour of big European clubs who have
the money and the high profile to be able to attract the world's
best 15-16-year-olds. Those that fail would continue to be eligible
to play in the country they train in as home grown, but of course
would not count as such if they were to return to their country
of origin. Labour mobility laws in Europe mean that any quota
could not discriminate against players from EU nations, or nations
with mobility agreements with the EU—so in the case of the
England team the UEFA definition of home-grown includes Cesc Fabregas,
but not Owen Hargreaves.
2.9 The UEFA home-grown player rule is different
from that suggested by the President of FIFA, who has proposed
that a team should have six players on the pitch qualified to
play for the relevant FA (i.e. for England in the case of the
Premier League). This rule is clearly in breach of EU law, and
European Commission spokespeople have confirmed this. As well
as being illegal it would also undermine the quality of many Premier
League sides. For example, Manchester United would find that players
such as Giggs, Fletcher, O'Shea, Evans, van de Sar, Evra, Vidic,
Ronaldo, Anderson, Saha, Park, Nani, Pique, Silvestre and Tevez
would be eligible for just five places on the pitch. An unintended
consequence of such a rule would be to weaken international sides
which currently recruit from English football. Players such as
Anichebe (Nigeria) or Giggs (Wales) who could have opted to play
for England would come under heavy pressure to "beat the
quota" by declaring that they were eligible for England and
so be lost from the pool available to their first choice country.
2.10 In any event there is no evidence that
home-grown player rules would improve the quality of the very
best English footballers, those that make up the England squad.
Replacing excellent non-English players with England-qualified
players of lesser ability would reduce playing standards in the
Premier League without improving the talent available to the England
manager. There is no evidence whatsoever that fans of English
football clubs feel disconnected from the players on the pitch
because some of them are foreign-born. The diversity of the League
and the widespread celebration of talent, regardless of its origins,
are together one of the great strengths of English football.
Football disorder and strengthening the prevention
of racism
2.11 The Premier League takes an active
interest in the promotion of safe and successful football and
particularly welcomes the Commission action points to: "exchange
operational information and practical know-how on the prevention
of violent and racist incidents"; to "strengthen regular
and structured cooperation" among stakeholders; and to organise
a "high level conference". The Premier League has already
offered its experiences and methods for tackling disorder domestically
with the Commission.
2.12 The Racial Equality Standard was established
by the Premier League and Kick It Out as a mechanism to encourage,
promote and measure progress in diversity at clubs. Key areas
for action covered by the standard include: ensuring the stadium
and its environs are free of racism; increasing participation
from ethnic minorities at every level of activity; setting up
clear procedures to deal with racial discrimination and inequality,
and; improving representation of people from ethnic minorities
in the fields of administration and management. Eighteen clubs
have achieved the preliminary level and four have reached the
intermediate level and are now working towards the advanced stage.
2.13 Alongside working towards the Racial
Equality Standard a number of our clubs have implemented very
positive inclusion strategies. Blackburn Rovers' Not Under Our
Roof campaign, Villa in Harmony and Arsenal for Everyone are striking
examples of how clubs have branded their own initiatives to stress
their commitment in this area to the fans. Bolton Wanderers Football
Club met with local community/faith leaders/council chiefs and
formed the Unity in Diversity steering group to create cohesion
within the borough through the power of football; regular meetings
are held to set objectives and meet the needs of the various religious
and community groups including Muslim, Hindu, Christian faiths
and the Somalian community.
2.14 Premier League Clubs have developed
very high standards of stadium safety, fan behaviour at matches
and policing in recent decades in response to the tragic experiences
of the 70s and 80s. It is of ongoing and serious concern to the
Premier League that such standards are not uniformly adopted outside
the UK.
2.15 More specifically, the Premier League
notes the importance of information sharing amongst law enforcement
services, for example we support the successful models such as
the Anglo-Dutch policing approach. In terms of fan behaviour and
racism we believe it is important to involve supporters in the
solutions, target any legislation at individual perpetrators rather
than groups and to learn from good practice exchanges already
in place across Europe on racism. In relation to European fixtures
we support the provision of clear travel and cultural information
in easily accessible formats (Blackburn have produced very good
materials and advice in the past); the systematic sharing of information
related to previous matches between Clubs; and we cannot emphasise
more that Clubs and local authorities should attend pre-planning
meetings for all matches (this was introduced by the English FA
on the return of English clubs to Europe and has contributed greatly
to successful operations). Finally, and crucially, agreed standards
must be achieved, with stadia clearly failing to reach those standards
treated accordingly with sanctions including reduced capacity
and even refusal of licence to stage a particular fixture.
International Sport development
2.16 The Premier League attracts global
TV audiences and it recognises the power of football to promote
education, health, inter-cultural dialogue, development and peace.
The Premier League recognises its responsibilities to its international
fanbase and is committed to increasing enthusiasm for English
top-flight football and investing in a number of sport development
projects, including "Premier Skills", a partnership
with the British Council and football authorities abroad, which
involves sharing coaching expertise in Egypt and developing English
language skills, and will shortly be expanded to other African
and Asian countries. The Premier League also supports the Magic
Bus project in India which uses sport development to educate and
inspire children in the slums of Mumbai, and will be working with
Sport Relief in Kenya over the next three years. The Premier League
is in addition a significant funder of the Government's sport
development programme overseas in the build up to London 2012,
led by UK Sport.
2.17 We recognise that EU policy has a role
to play in ensuring good regulation in international issues such
as money laundering, player transfers and child welfare.
Sustainable development
2.18 The Premier League agrees that it is
important to promote "environmentally sound management"
in sport. In order to embed sustainability in the Premier League
we have engaged the services of an environmental consultancy to
advise our Clubs on best practice, and to produce a guide to best
practice in sustainability in football. A seminar on the subject
is currently being planned.
2.19 Clubs are working hard to ensure that
they have a positive impact on their local environments, and are
engaging in a range of constructive environmental initiatives
and projects. These include wind turbines providing energy for
stadia, recycled water for pitch watering, nature reserves at
training grounds, the use of FSC paper products and comprehensive
sustainable supply chain policies. The Premier League is also
currently in discussion with our partners and sponsors about joint
working in this area.
3. THE ECONOMIC
DIMENSION OF
SPORT
3.1 The economic importance of football
is not fully understood nor appreciated by policy-makers. One
common economic misconception is that commercial success and sporting
values are not compatible. In fact the reverse is true—only
by protecting and enhancing the quality and integrity of football
competition can it become an economic success. Sporting values
therefore are vital to commercial value, a belief which is central
to the success of the Premier League.
3.2 Improved assessment by the EU could
contribute to a better understanding of this importance, and assist
football in its discussions with local authorities, national governments
and European institutions, and we welcome the recommendation to
undertake a study to assess the sport sector's direct and indirect
contributions to the Lisbon Agenda [see Introduction and Overview].
3.3 The Premier League particularly welcomes
the acknowledgement that the "economic value of sports is
linked to intellectual property rights", and that intellectual
property is crucial to the business model [see Media section for
more detail]. However the Premier League is disappointed that
no actions have been proposed to explore the intrinsic value of
"sports rights" to the organisation of sport. This exclusion
was illustrated by the European Commission's surprising and disappointing
omission of sport from their recent Content Online Communication
(however sports rights owners will be able to contribute to the
on-going process, including through the "Content Online Platform").
Public support for grassroots sport
3.4 The Premier League recognises the importance
of public support for grassroots sport and works closely with
the UK Government on CSR programmes. The biggest single recipient
of this good cause investment is the Football Foundation, a tripartite
initiative bringing together the Premier League, the Football
Association and the Government. Together with local authority,
private sector and other matched funding streams, the Football
Foundation has invested over £600 million since 2001 in grassroots
football and in football-related social inclusion projects.
4. THE ORGANISATION
OF SPORT
4.1 The Premier League welcomes the White
Paper acknowledgment of the "autonomy of sporting organisations
and representative structures (such as leagues)". This recognises
that sport is organised and administered primarily at the national
level [see Introduction and Overview].
4.2 The Premier League believes that the
European Union can have an impact on sport in the exercise of
its other competences, such as competition law, intellectual property,
and employment law. We accept that sport cannot be exempted from
the general application of such laws but we would welcome an approach
which seeks to ensure that sport's particular circumstances are
reflected in how such laws are applied. Whilst the EU should not
intervene in the administration or governance of sport, there
is scope for the EU, together with policy-makers at the national
level, to seek to construct a supportive environment in which
sport can thrive.
4.3 There is also scope for football to
contribute to the wider social goals of local, national and European
institutions, notably in education, health and social inclusion.
The current European Informal Sports Ministers' framework shows
how trans-frontier issues which can affect sport can be taken
forward, on issues such as doping, violence and racism. We see
this framework, working with appropriate Council configurations
and the European Commission, as being appropriate for developing
strategies to deal with emerging trans-border issues such as the
trafficking of young players, money laundering through sport,
the protection of sports' intellectual property rights and the
very real and growing threat to sporting integrity posed by the
poorly regulated betting industry.
Free movement
4.4 The Premier League is satisfied that
existing restrictions to the free movement principle are adequate.
In our view identification and training of high quality players
is the best way to meet demands for high quality players for national
teams, and consider that this approach is likely to be more successful,
and fairer, than simplistic quotas [see education and training,
and locally-trained players section for more detail].
Transfers
4.5 The Premier League respects the White
Paper judgement that there is an important international dimension
to the transfer of players. We note the Commission's legitimate
concerns about the transparency and legality of financial flows
and would welcome the opportunity to be part of any future discussions
in regard to achieving an "effective solution".
Player's Agents
4.6 The main focus for the regulation of
agents should be at the level of national sports bodies, including
co-operating to seek global solutions. The activities of agents
are now a worldwide phenomenon and as such an EU-wide approach
would not deal with the issue. National bodies, particularly those
leagues and clubs with the greatest experience in dealing with
agents, need to work in collaboration with FIFA to achieve an
effective and sustainable outcome. Those football bodies will
need, where appropriate, national, European and global institutions
to ensure that football regulation and legal instruments are compatible
in this area. The Premier League notes the Commission's intention
to carry out an impact assessment in this area and will contribute
to that work if requested.
Protection of Minors
4.7 We have the most regulated youth programme
in the world, with 134 youth rules and 22 safeguarding rules,
supported by appropriate training schemes for staff and full compliance
with criminal records checking requirements. The Premier League
is proud to be at the forefront of UK child protection in sport
policy and as such applies its rules, not just to the academy
system, but to every part of each club which comes into contact
with minors (from children involved in community schemes, to those
attending matches, or those visiting the club shop). A three-pronged
approach means that every member of club staff who deals with
minors has specific training on child safeguarding, which is accredited
by the Independent Safeguarding Authority, the independent statutory
body set up by the then DfES in response to recommendation 19
of the Bichard Inquiry Report (as well as the standard CRB checking
and reference double checking). In addition, each Premier League
club has a designated safeguarding officer, which reports to the
clubs children's services officer. Finally, the "Safeguarding
Policy and Procedures" which each PL club is required to
produce are signed off by the relevant local safeguarding children
board (comprising local authorities, health bodies, the police
and others).
Corruption
4.8 The Premier League has introduced a
number of measures in recent years to ensure the highest standards
of governance are maintained and improved by its member clubs.
These include the introduction of a Fit and Proper Person Test
(recently extended to cover international offences and include
owners and those with a stake in excess of 30% as well as directors
and shadow directors), enhanced directors' reports and a directors'
declaration of shareholding.
4.9 The standards required of a Premier
League director go above and beyond UK company law with Premier
League directors coming under rigorous scrutiny. Clubs are required
to notify the Premier League of all ownership over 10% and any
individual or company holding 10% or more of a member club has
to relinquish all shares in any other club. In addition, regulations
governing the activities of, and payments to, agents stipulate
that a player, when joining a club or renegotiating a contract,
must assume total responsibility for the payment of his agent.
4.10 We remain concerned at the threat to
sporting integrity posed by rapid growth and change in the betting
industry, and believe that the White Paper should have addressed
this issue more thoroughly. The need to protect sporting integrity
is quite separate from the European debate about betting companies,
national monopolies and state lotteries, and so should be handled
separately.
Licensing
4.11 The Premier League agrees that robust
licensing systems for clubs at a national level can promote good
governance. We would welcome consistency in systems across member
states and welcome the opportunity to participate in the Commission's
forthcoming conference on licensing and best practice. However,
a single pan-European licensing system for football clubs is neither
desirable nor necessary.
Media
4.12 EU institutions have a clear role in
broadcast and intellectual property matters, and the Premier League
would like to see the references to intellectual property and
piracy in the White Paper on Sport built upon to ensure that the
EU takes a stronger internal and external anti-online piracy/robust
IP policy line.
4.13 Internet and broadcast piracy is a
genuine threat to the operation of sports organisations which
rely on media rights to finance investment in their sports, and
we would like to see specific actions adopted in this area. Whilst
recognising the growing interest in sport news we believe that
access to the intellectual property of sports events should not
serve to undermine the selling of sports rights and the solidarity
mechanisms which sports rights markets produce. In common with
many content-driven industries the Premier League believes the
existing EU and international copyright framework supports the
protection of sports rights and solidarity mechanisms.
4.14 The Premier League notes that the EU
is currently undertaking or planning several legislative reviews
and policy initiatives in the information society and intellectual
property spheres that have or will have a significant impact on
the way sports rights are sold and protected after sale. The Premier
League, including through the Sports Rights Owners' Coalition
(SROC), is engaged in several of these processes to ensure that
sport's specific issues are fully taken into consideration. SROC
has submitted a separate submission on these issues, which we
commend to the Select Committee.
4.15 We would urge the Select Committee
to press the European Commission for a more systematic consideration
of the sports sector as the Commission reviews existing IP legislation
and future IP and content-related proposals and that the forthcoming
study on the economic impact of sport in the EU takes full account
of the IP dimension in its assessment.
5. STRUCTURED
AND SOCIAL
DIALOGUE
5.1 The Premier League believes that European
sport federations and umbrella organisations do not adequately
reflect nor represent the diverse governance and operational structures
which operate across Europe. For example, some sports in some
countries have strong, central roles for a single, national federation.
This is not true of football in England, where the Premier League
and the Football League are powerful institutions in their own
right, separate from the Football Association, although often
working closely together on matters of shared interest. In addition,
UEFA is not the governing body for football in Europe. Rather,
it is the organiser of competitions that cover the entire UEFA
area—notably the Champions League, the UEFA Cup and the
European Nations Cup. It has never had responsibility to run national
associations or leagues, nor should it have.
5.2 Therefore, we believe strongly that
structured dialogue should not exclude prominent national voices,
or expect "umbrella organisations" to speak with a unified
voice on every sports issue, and as such the Premier League was
pleased to attend the White Paper conference Brussels on 8 and
9 October 2007.
5.3 In terms of social dialogue the Premier
League offers its expertise as an employer in any European social
dialogue committees which are established within the sports sector,
and is actively supporting the association of European Professional
Football Leagues (EPFL) in the formal social dialogue process
with the European Commission and FIFPro.
6. CONCLUSION
6.1 The White Paper represents an important
and positive contribution to the development of policy affecting
sport. We would like to see the progress made in the White Paper
consolidated, with European engagement in sport at the professional
and grassroots levels improved in the areas of:
— co-operation on doping;
— player trafficking (especially in
the context of the need to protect young people);
— strengthening copyright protection
and taking action against the misuse of intellectual property
rights, including the growth in trans-border ticket touting;
— co-operation and taking firm action
to deal with racism and hooliganism; and
— introducing means to protect sporting
integrity from the new challenges posed by the rapid growth in
sport betting.
6.2 We recognise the value that the White
Paper and its action plan will bring in preparation for the entry
into force of the EU Treaty Article on sport and believe that
they should form the basis of the guiding principles of the EU
Treaty Article going forward. We believe a great deal of care
must be taken to ensure that the future scope of EU involvement
in sports policy continues to be defined by where it can add value
to the actions of national sports bodies and Governments and where
there is a clear need for cross-border dialogue and action.
January 2008
| 
