Brussels, 16/07/2001 (Agence Europe) - The Swedish, Belgian and Spanish Ministers for Sport brought, on Thursday evening, their support to the European Commission position concerning the EU representation within the founding council of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WAA) and the financial contribution to the budget of this agency. Thus they support the position of Commissioner Viviane Reding who will take part, with the Belgian Minister Bert Anciaux, in the meeting of the founding council, which will take place on 21 August in Tallinn. It is during this meeting that should be resolved the issue of the seat of the WAA, and three EU cities (Vienna, Bonn and Stockholm) remain in competition against Lausanne and Montreal. Weakened by the multiplicity of their candidacies, the three Union cities have very few chances, for as much as it is necessary to gather a two-thirds majority for the Agency to leave Lausanne. This lack of coordination between the Member States is also partly responsible for the under representation of the EU within the WAA decision-making bodies and the present provisions that allow it to impose financial decisions (see EUROPE of 13 July, p.14). At first, the WAA statutes foresaw unanimity during the votes concerning the budget, but this provision was replaced by qualified majority, during a meeting chaired by the Canadian Dick Pound, IOC member and acting president of the WAA. This change, which follows an initiative from the United States and Canada, supported by Australia, clearly aimed at weakening the EU position. The Member States present during this meet did not oppose this and the European Commission only had an observer status.