European Parliament — Comm. on Culture and Education motion — Follow up on EC WP and action items
Update on the plenary vote of the European Parliament on the previously discussed report on the Commission’s White Paper on Sport:
518 in favour, 49 against, and 9 abstentions according to today’s release…
Intriguing… Sheepishly considered and problematic, but you can make your own determinations, and for further commentary refer to the Sport and EU Newsletter (pp 3-4)…
Next steps: debate and vote in the European Council, where hopefully the particular report’s portions and issues of concern (seemingly contradicting EU Law, ECJ Jurisprudence, and EC Policy) will be carefully deliberated after more reflection considering EU Law application in sport and; European Commission action items including a November forum projected to feature representative dialogue b/t all stakeholders.
At least the budget items are continuously promoted! Thus, we should engage in collaborative grant-landing endeavours in the immediate future.
Here are the links for your perusal:
http://www.euractiv.com/en/sports/parliament-wants-eu-sport-budget-2009/article-172246
http://www.alde.eu/index.php?id=42&no_cache=1&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=9508
http://www.socialistgroup.eu/gpes/newsdetail.do?lg=en&id=82582&href=home
Enjoy your summer
Tassos
—
On Thu, Apr 3, 2008 at 12:34 PM, Tassos Kaburakis wrote:
Colleagues,
Hope this finds you well.
The EP’s Committee on Culture and Education adopted a report by Greek MEP Manolis Mavrommatis on the White Paper, with guidelines, directives, and somewhat strong recommendations for the Commission.
[The Mavromatis report was adopted in committee with 31 votes in favour, 1 against and 1 abstention Plenary vote: April II or May I]
His comment:
“The official recognition of sport in the new Reform Treaty is a very big step towards a European policy in the field of sport. Thus, I am very happy that the Committee on Culture and Education has adopted my report on the White Paper, which already has basic guidelines for this policy, underlining the need to continue financing for professional and amateur sports, the recognition of collective selling of media rights and of course a more efficient fight against doping”.
There definitely are some interesting items and important deviations from ECJ Jurisprudence (and some cases that might be forthcoming, as we have commented herein multiply re: home-grown rules etc…)
I de-limit this to pertinent matters in view of our recent scholarship on gambling and sport betting cases such as Gambelli and Placanica. Respective items from the report are found below.
Our US colleagues in Gaming Law may review for good measure and brainstorming.
Needless to observe there is a host of outstanding research herein.
I include some links and documents for reference. In the process of the Reform Treaty, we shall continue dissemination of such timely resources and pertinent research material.
Otherwise, fully enjoy a fabulous Spring!
Tassos
http://www.euractiv.com/en/sports/meps-adopt-report-future-eu-sport-policy/article-171228
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/activities/committees/amendmentsCom.do?language=EN&body=CULT#
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/activities/committees/draftReportsCom.do?language=EN&body=CULT
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meetdocs/2004_2009/documents/pa/707/707887/707887en.pdf
<Amend>Amendment by <Members>Guy Bono</Members>
Amendment <NumAm>205</NumAm>
<Article>Paragraph 12</Article>
12. Considers that the gambling, sports betting and lotteries sector should operate within the framework of a licensing system which would guarantee continued financing for professional and amateur sport by means of repayment mechanisms, the integrity of sporting events (by monitoring betting operations and the financial flows of sports betting providers and by warning about conflicts of interest) and the protection of their organisers’ exploitation rights, and calls for gambling addiction to be tackled;
Or. <Original>{FR}fr</Original>
</Amend>
<Amend>Amendment by <Members>Gerardo Galeote</Members>
Amendment <NumAm>206</NumAm>
<Article>Paragraph 12</Article>
12. Takes the view that state-run gambling or lottery services should operate alongside licensed gambling services in a regulated market in order to provide the utmost support to amateur and professional sports;
Or. <Original>{EN}en</Original>
</Amend>
<Amend>Amendment by <Members>Christopher Heaton-Harris</Members>
Amendment <NumAm>207</NumAm>
<Article>Paragraph 12</Article>
12. Takes the view that state-run gambling or lottery services should operate alongside licensed gambling services in a regulated market in order to provide the utmost support to amateur and professional sports;
Or. <Original>{EN}en</Original>
</Amend>
<Amend>Amendment by <Members>Christa Prets</Members>
Amendment <NumAm>208</NumAm>
<Article>Paragraph 12</Article>
12. Voices its concern at the possible deregulation of the market in gambling and lotteries, since state-run or state-licensed gambling or lottery services will be harmed by competition and will restrict their support and social mission mainly to amateur sport;
<Amend>Amendment by <Members>Ivo Belet, Guy Bono, Emine Bozkurt, Manolis Mavrommatis, Jacek Protasiewicz</Members>
Amendment <NumAm>211</NumAm>
<Article>Paragraph 12 a (new)</Article>
12a.Asks the Commission to come forward with a proposal ensuring a clean sports betting sector in the European Union, preventing misuse and corruption and respecting the sport event organisers’ rights;
Or. <Original>{EN}en</Original>
</Amend>
<Amend>Amendment by <Members>Cornelis Visser</Members>
Amendment <NumAm>212</NumAm>
<Article>Paragraph 12 a (new)</Article>
12a. Considers that Member States’ revenue from games of chance should be directly proportionate to their expenditure on sport, and that the revenue from games of chance should remain in the Member States;
<Amend>Amendment by <Members>Christa Prets</Members>
Amendment <NumAm>282</NumAm>
<Article>Paragraph 21 c (new)</Article>
21c. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to adopt regulatory measures which ensure that sport is protected from any improper influence associated with betting, to set up a European or national system to monitor betting operations and money streams of sport betting providers and to prohibit the ownership or commercial involvement (e.g. sponsorship) of sports clubs by betting companies as well as links of betting companies with a sportsperson, unless the betting companies exclude the club or sportsperson from their sports betting offer;
Or. <Original>{EN}en</Original>
</Amend>