European Community and professional sport

 

Doc. 7557

9 May 1996

MOTION FOR A RECOMMENDATION

presented by Mr SEITLINGER and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

1.         The Assembly recalls the judgement of the European Court of Justice in the case of Jean-Marc Bosman in December 1995 against the prevailing nationality and transfer rules applied by UEFA for professional football in Europe.

2.         While aware that this ruling ensures the due application of Community labour law to professional football, the Assembly wishes to draw attention to the far-reaching consequences for professional sport in general - on the one hand for the financial survival of the smaller clubs and on the other to the divisive nature of the ruling for the employment of professionals from the wider Europe.

3.         The Assembly shares the desire, expressed in the first instance by UEFA, to seek means of reducing the impact of these consequences in a manner that is not only compatible with Community law but also with other internationally recognised texts as well as with the healthy development of professional sport in the wider Europe.

4.         The Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers consider this question together with UEFA and other interested non-governmental sports organisations with regard to finding an appropriate solution with the European Union.

Signed[1]:

Seitlinger, France, EPP

Johnston, United Kingdom, LDR

Elo, Finland, SOC

Guirado, Spain, SOC

Bolinaga, Spain, EPP

Aguiar, Portugal, LDR

Szymanski, Poland, SOC

de Puig, Spain, SOC

Cem, Turkey, SOC

G�rel, Turkey, SOC

Maximus, Belgium, SOC

---

[1]        SOC : Socialist Group

            EPP : Group of the European People's Party

            EDG : European Democratic Group

            LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers Group

            UEL : Group of the Unified European Left