Bathing water quality 2004
In accordance with the criteria of the old Bathing Water Directive, the Commission recently published the report on bathing water quality on Europes coastlines and in its inland waters for 2004. For the first time, six of the new Member States were also included. For coastal waters, compliance with the regulations stood at 96.7%, almost the same as the figure for the previous year. For inland waters, however, the proportion of bathing areas in line with the standards fell from 92.3% in 2003 to 89.4% last year. The Commission criticises the tendency in some Member States either to remove bathing beaches with insufficient results from the list of official bathing areas or to impose bathing bans on them, instead of making sure that water quality is improved.
EP for inclusion of sport into ERDF regulation proposal
On 24 May 2005 the committee on regional development (REGI-committee) of the European Parliament (EP) voted in favour of amendments 192 and 196 for the regulation on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). In carrying amendments 192 and 196 sport has been included in article 6. (see article 6 below)
Article 6 of the aforementioned regulation defines the future EU-funding program European territorial cooperation, for which EUR 13,2 billions have been budgeted for the time period 2007-2013. By referring to sport in article 6 it would be easier to draft national and operational programs better favouring sports.
Continuing legislative procedure
The EP-plenary will most likely adopt the amended ERDF-regulation during its first reading at the beginning of July 2005.
The adoption of the ERDF-regulation is subject to the codecision procedure and the Council of Ministers has to decide on the amended regulation. Does the Council of Ministers accept the regulation, it will then be signed and published in the Official Journal of the European Union. Does the Council not agree with the amendments proposed by the EP, then the Council adopts a Common Position. The legislative proposal will then enter the stage of the second reading.
Improved access to tickets for 2006 World Cup
Following discussions with the European Commission, FIFA has agreed to modify its arrangements for ticket payments for the next stages of ticket allocation for the 2006 World Cup in Germany. More payment methods will now be accepted in the second phase of ticket sales which began on 2 May. Fans based in non-Eurozone countries in the European Economic Area (EEA) who do not have a MasterCard product or a German bank account can now pay for tickets by making a domestic bank transfer in their local currency.
Previously, some fans outside the Eurozone were faced with the high costs of making cross-border bank transfers into Euros.
Under the new arrangements, FIFA and the German Football Association (DFB) will open bank accounts in the 16 non-Eurozone countries within the EEA and will accept payments in the local currency. FIFA and DFB have informed fans of the new improved arrangements on their official website
Basketball Euroleague introduces full freedom of movement
At its last general meeting, Euroleague, the association of European basketball leagues, resolved to abolish foreigner quotas for team selections. The new ruling will apply as from the forthcoming 2005/2006 season.
Hitherto, teams were able to select only two players from non-EU States or States that have concluded an association or cooperation agreement with the EU. As from next season, there will no longer be any difference between Bosman A, Bosman B, Cotonou and non-EU foreigners.
