1. EP Single market committee against games of chance in SP guidelines
As has already been seen in September and October in negotiations concerning guidelines for service providers on the liberalisation of the provision of services in the European single market, the leading single market committee of the European parliament decided at its meeting on 22-23 November to exclude games of chance from the field of application of the guidelines.
This is in line with the claims of German sports and its European partner organisations.
The controversial country of origin principle (Art.16) still remains to be settled.
The member states have been enabled to implement special requirements in relation to the provision of services, when these are needed for the rule of law, public safety, the protection of health and the environment.
Tax provisions of the member states are not changed by the SP guidelines.
It is expected that the European parliament will approve this in full (1st hearing) in January 2006.
2. Meeting of sports experts and the EU
In order to drive forward cooperation with member states in the field of Sport of Europe the European Commission has invited experts in the member states to an exchange of views on the following selected themes:
– Anti-Doping (18 October 2005)
– Equality of opportunities in and through sport (24 October 2005)
– Freedom of movement for athletes (1 December 2005)
– EYES Conclusions (13 December 2005)
Until recently these topics have been part of the Rolling Agenda of the EU-Sports ministers. The Commission plans to continue the dialogue with the member states in this form in the coming year and wants to exchange with European sports organisations. The reports on the consultation conference EU & Sport: Matching expectations held last June can be seen at the following address:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/sport/whatsup/index_en.html
3. Easier Visas: Olympic and Paralympic Winter games 2006
As happened in the 2004 games in Athens the procedures for visa applications should be made easier for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter games in Turin 2006. This special regulation will deal with regulating journeys to and a short stay within the Schengen area without internal borders in an effective, flexible and reasonable way so that Italy as a holding country can fulfil its commitments under the Olympic Charter. Visa applications for members of the Olympic and Paralympic family should be submitted by the relevant institution of the Organisation committee at the same time as the application for accreditation. Once the European parliament has taken this legislative decision in mid November at its first reading, the Council must then ratify this. This is set to be passed in December as the system has already been proved successful in Athens and no appeals are expected.
