Does Europe need a policy on sport?

Barcelona vs Werder Bremen at the Camp Nou

By Richard Laming

Published in EUobserver, 23 October 2007

It happens quite often, but not always so visibly, that European decisions have an impact on everyday life. An important and recent example lies in the agreement last week in Lisbon on the Reform Treaty, where a small decision illustrates a very big point.

The subject is sport. Sport is visibly a European activity – think of all those people crowded round TV sets on the night of big European matches – but both president of the International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge and UEFA President Michel Platini have expressed concern about the way in which the EU might get involved in regulating it.

The proposed Reform Treaty includes sport as a matter in which the Union might “support,coordinate or supplement the actions of the Member States”. Is this simply a Brussels power grab?

Read the whole article at 071023euobserver

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