Lobbying & the Europeanization of Sport Interests Sport & EU 5 th Annual Conference Ghent, 1-2 July 2010 Efthalia (Elia) Chatzigianni Asst. Professor Dept. of Sport Management University of Peloponnese, Greece

Why this topic Sport is a new policy field for European institutions Sport has a leading role in the European – and universal – market Interest representation is vital in the European policy-making

Structure of the Presentation First Part – Europeanization & EU Governance – The Influence Process Second Part – European Lobbying & Sport Interests Categories of Interest groups Methods & Techniques Concluding Remarks

Europeanization In the framework of this paper: – concept for the emergence and development of sport interest representation at European level – how sport interests, develop adapt or change in the framework of the complex European public policy making system

European Governance * As a process which takes place in the framework of European institutions on different levels and stages of European policy-making away from the traditional decision-making centers (Marks et al. 1996). It involves public & private actors of supranational, national, regional & local nature. European Governance Multi level Governance*

Methodology Europeanization: is studied as a process generating new challenges and/or opportunities for sport interests in the area of sport policy at European level MLG: as the policy framework in which sport interests operate Research: based on existing literature, internet resources and communication with European officials and interest group representatives – Limitations imposed by the nature of research (small number of interest groups denied to provide the author with information or never responded)

EU Lobbying European lobbying is an activity that: – is vital part of EU policy-making process – aims at the pursue and achievement of specific political and professional targets in the framework of European policymaking – informs European officials on specific issues and, in certain cases, informs and persuades national policy-makers or other national actors on European regulation – involves all European institutions in the framework of multi- level system of governance – concerns all actors interested in influencing European decision- making process

EU Lobbying European lobbies are eager to participate in European policy-making in order to: – initiate policy-making – influence policy-making on their behalf – look for allies on European level and among the European institutions

The Commission & Interest Groups The Commission as Agenda Setter – Consultation with interests: Commission legitimacy – Need for technical expertise – Access to interest groups Types of Lobbying: – Early lobbying – Levels of lobbying: Low level : Several DGs involved in the same policy area: many possibilities for lobbyists to contact and mobilize their allies High level : Commissioners & Cabinets

The European Parliament & Interest Groups The EP as a ‘legitimator’ of EU policy – Co-legislator – Applies pressure on the Commission through resolutions and declarations Structure & Lobbying – Rapporteur & Shadow Rapporteur – Parliament Committees – Political Parties – Intergroups

EU & Sport Lobbying - Milestones Sport: a new EU policy area – Bosman case (1995) – Treaty of Amsterdam (1997) – Nice Declaration (2000) – EP Resolutions (2007) – The Commission White Paper on Sport (2007) – Lisbon Treaty (2007)

Creating EU Sport policy ECJ Rulings EC SPORT Sport Groups Treaties EP Resolutions

Institution driven interest representation Football interests The CommissionEuropean Parliament Council of Ministers

Main Represented Sport Interests – Tool: supply European officials with necessary expertise and knowledge – Targets: the Commission & the Parliament – Two main categories of sport groups: Groups objecting (or allowing a restricted) EU involvement in sport regulation – Specificity & Autonomy of sport (sport governing bodies) – Defend state monopolies for gambling and betting (AELTE) Groups supporting further EU involvement in Sport – sport regulation as an economic activity (sport business interests & private gambling) – balanced attention compared with the elite sport sector (grassroots associations)

Groups objecting (or allowing a restricted) EU involvement in sport regulation United European Football Association (UEFA) European Olympic Committees (EOC) International Olympic Committee (IOC) Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) European Non-Governmental Organization (ENGSO) European Lotteries and Toto Association (AELTE)

Methods & Techniques – Direct Lobbying to the Commission – Identification of Natural Allies: DG EAC (Sport Unit) – Day to day consultations with DGs (low level) – Meetings with the Commissioner & the Cabinet (high level) – On line consultation – Written contributions – Provision of facts & figures on specific issues

Methods & Techniques – Direct Lobbying to the Parliament Meetings with: – Rapporteur – Shadow Rapporteur – Other MEPs Parliamentary Hearings European Parliament Sports Intergroup participation Written contributions Provision of facts & figures on specific issues

Indirect Lobbying– Interinstitutional Activity – Publication of scientific documentation (i.e. the Arnaut Report) – Formation of interest group coalition (i.e. the Association of European Team Sports): publication of Safeguarding the heritage and future of team sport in Europe’ Launch of website – Adoption of Common Positions and Joint Declarations by interest groups which are on ‘the same side’ (i.e. ‘The Common Position on the implementation of the new Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union’ adopted by the Olympic & Sports Movement in January 2010) – Participation in European Sports Forums

Indirect Lobbying– Interinstitutional Activity (cont.) – Participation in European Independent Sport Review (2006) – Organization of Conferences such as the International Conference on the Autonomy & Specificity on Sport in Budapest in September 2009 – Organization of Seminars such as the First Seminar (September 2006) on the Autonomy of the Olympic and Sports Movement – Scientific Studies such as the document ‘Safeguarding the heritage and future of team sport in Europe’ – Written contributions to Commission and Parliament officials such as the ‘ENGSO Position Statement on the White Paper on Sport’

Indirect Lobbying – Interinstitutional Activity (cont.) – Publication & distribution to parties concerned of Statements, Open Letters etc such as the Statement on Intended White Paper on Sports by the Nordic Sports Confederations and Olympic Committees – Editing & Distribution of flyers describing the Organization’s activity, strategy and argumentation such as the ENGSO flyer on ‘Sport for an Active & Competitive Europe’.

Associations supporting EU involvement in Sport Sport Business Interests – former G14 (in operation ), now European Club Association (ECA) – Association of European Union Premier Professional Leagues (EPFL) – Individual Sport Clubs (i.e. Real Madrid) – Fédération Internationale des Associations des Footballeurs Professionnels (FIFPro) – European Association for Sport Employers (EASE) – European Football Agents Association (EFAA)

Associations supporting EU involvement in Sport (cont.) – Media sector European Newspaper Publishers’ Association (ENPA) International Association for Sport Newspapers (IASN) Team interests (i.e. Real Madrid, Barcelona and the Premier League) – Other interests associated with sport business represented individually such as Cadbury Schweppes collectively with the example of European Snack Association (ESA) – European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA)

Methods & Techniques Direct Lobbying – Consultation and meetings with the Commission – Meetings with MEPs and participation in Intergroups Indirect Lobbying – Participation in EU Sport Forums, including the one in Biarritz in November 2008, where EASE President, for example, was guest speaker – Creation of websites such as the EASE website with updates on the position of interest groups and developments on the issue of EU sport policy

Associations supporting EU involvement in Sport Grassroots Associations: ‘Sectoral Associations’ Groups include: – Trim & Fitness International Sport for All Association (TAFISA) – the European Sport For All Network (ESFAN) – International Sport & Culture Association (ISCA)

Methods & Techniques Lesser lobbying activity (but not less efficient) than groups of the first category Activity includes: – Participation in EU Sport Forums, including the one in Biarritz in November 2008, where ISCA President, for example, was guest speaker. – Participation in on-line consultation as European associations but also as national associations in order to have more impact (Interview) – Consultation and meetings with the Commission – Organization of Conferences & Workshops such as the 2nd International TAFISA-ESFAN Workshop with the title Sports Club for Health in February 4-5, 2008 in Helsinki, Finland – Communication with EP officials, including meetings and written correspondence

Concluding Remarks Pluralist pattern of sport interest representation – Variety of represented interests In the framework of multi-level governance, they have adapted to the system that requires: – multiple lobbying methods and techniques, – information provision to Commission and Parliamentary officials and – use of available accesses Depending on their structure and kind of represented interest: – some use all available lobbying tools to them, – some use a number of them and – some are still in the learning process

Concluding Remarks Traditional interests transform and adapt to the new European reality Group coalitions are formed New interest groups are created Existing accesses to European institutions are utilized Influence on way of thinking – UEFA strategy – FIFA argumentation on ‘6+5 rule’ European Social Dialogue for Professional Football – UEFA, FifPro, and EPFL

Concluding Remarks Pace and degree of Europeanization of sport policy depends highly on sport represented interests Europeanization in terms of: – interest group strategy – interest group way of thinking Unlimited challenges for sport groups because ‘nothing is formal until written’.