Brussels, 24/07/2003 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has authorised centralised sales rules for the European Union of Football Associations (UEFA) on media rights on the Champions League. The Commission originally objected to the joint selling arrangements, which were notified in 1999, because UEFA sold all Champions League TV rights in one package to a single broadcaster on an exclusive basis for up to four years at a time (EUROPE 23/24 December p 12). As a result of the Commission's objections, UEFA proposed a new joint selling arrangement, which solves the Commission's concerns, and which is operational starting with the 2003/2004-football season. Commissioner Mario Monti stressed that UEFA will initially have the exclusive right to sell the remaining live rights of the Champions League, while granting access to a "football" content for larger number of radio companies, as well as internet service providers and telephone operators. At the same time clubs will be allowed to trade some of these rights on an individual basis.