Paris, 11/09/2000 (Agence Europe) - Marie-George Buffet, French Minister for Youth and Sport and Council President, made it clear what France hopes and plans to have included in the next Treaty revision. Ms Buffet said during a press conference: "After the conclusions in Feira and pursuant to what the Prime Minister announced at the National Assembly, France is working towards the adoption of a declaration whereby the European Union will not only recognise specific aspects of sport but will also clearly identify them and specify what their specific nature implies. Given the mercantile offensive, as recently observed in football and basket ball, I trust that this declaration will, above all, acknowledge the role of the federations in the organisation of competitions, in the definition of sports rules and in the issuance of titles. The declaration should, in parallel, stress that, in order to have exclusive rights in these fields, the federations have missions to fulfil, in the aim of promoting sport for all, the insertion of young people and of women, and to develop training. It should affirm the principle of redistributing receipts from television broadcasting rights, regulate the multi-ownership of clubs, moralise transfers without banning them, and affirm the need to grant health protection to young athletes (here I am thinking of the ill-known consequences of intensive training at an early age).
Today, I am reasonably optimistic about our chances of a successful conclusion at the European Council in Nice. Various meetings that I have had and continue to have with my European counterparts, allow me to feel that the principle of adopting a declaration, which would be sufficiently precise but which would have true political scope, is shared by my colleagues".
Mr Monti now confident a balanced solution will be found to problem of football transfers
European Commissioner for Competition Mario Monti met two senior personalities of the world and European football organisations (FIFA and UEFA), Mr Per Ravn Omdal and Mr Markus Studer, who confirmed to him the willingness of their organisations to modify the rules governing the transfer of football players. As head of the task force preparing the revised norms, Mr Omdal gave his assurance that the project will be forwarded to the Community authorities before the end of October.
Mr Monti insisted that this deadline should be effectively kept and said the project will be examined by his services as soon as possible, in close consultation with the services of Ms Reding (Sports Commissioner) and of Ms Diamantopoulou (Social Affairs Commissioner). He expressed his confidence that a satisfactory solution would be reached, a solution that respects both the principles of Community law and the specific nature of sport.