§ Mr. WhittingdaleTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the Government's 197W policy is on the exclusion of sport from the requirements of EU competition legislation; and if she will make a statement. [137137]
§ Mr. Caborn[holding answer 10 November 2003]: The Government firmly believe that sport like any other activity must abide by the requirements of EU and UK competition legislation.
The Government note that in recent sports cases considered by the European Commission Competition Directorate due note has been taken of the specific characteristics of sport as set out in the declaration on sport made by the 2000 European Council meeting in Nice.
The Government support the proposals to include specific reference to sport in the proposed new European Treaty but is seeking improvements in the text proposed by the European Convention to reflect more accurately the Nice declaration. I discussed detailed textual suggestions with my European colleagues at our informal meeting in Florence on 2–3 October and secured support for a revised text from the overwhelming majority of the 25 states represented. I hope that progress on this text can be made in the current discussions within the Intergovernmental Conference.