Brussels, 23/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - The European Union needs to improve its database of statistics and information on the economic role of sport as a basis for evidence-based policies in the future, according to Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou. The Commission has organised a conference in Brussels on 23 March to try to see how to overcome this deficit. In the White Paper on sport, the Commission flagged up the lack of comparable EU-wide information on the sports sector's economic role.
UEFA President Michel Platini said at the EUFA Congress on 22 March that the 53 member associations of the European football federation had signed up to centralising the sale of rights for qualification matches, a system which will help the small countries financially. The effect will be to guarantee the income of each of the associations, Platini said. Under the current system, each association negotiates the TV rights with the channels of the country of the side which is playing away from home. The higher the side is rated, the higher the rights are, a tendency which makes life very difficult for small countries. Platini said, too, that he had resisted attempts to have the Champions League open only to major clubs, adding that protecting national sides will be his priority over the next four years. He highlighted the importance of the financial fair play initiative which, from June, will mean that all of Europe's clubs will have to show greater budgetary rigour. This is an objective which chimes perfectly with Commission aims. “UEFA is a privileged partner in the Commission's dialogue with the sports movement. Our discussions have been very fruitful on issues such as financial fair play and players coming thorough the ranks of their local teams”, said Vassiliou's spokesman Denis Abbot. (I.L./transl.rt)