The European Parliament Committee for Culture, Education and Sport voted today in favour of a proposal drafted by EPP Group MEP, Santiago Fisas, to establish an 'insurance mechanism' to compensate clubs that make their players available for their national teams, and to regulate the profession of sports agents at European level.

Both proposals are the more significant of the European Parliament's first report on what should be the future EU policy on sport, to take into account the Lisbon Treaty mandate to support, coordinate and supplement sport policy measures taken by Member States.

"We have listed a large number of measures on the report which we believe will bring an added value to national sport policies - measures that will serve to promote European identity through sport", said Santiago Fisas MEP.

The report recognises that the insurance mechanism for clubs allowing players to play for national teams - an ever-increasing demand of bigger European football clubs - can't be applied to all sports, and is strict when it comes to the regulation of the sports agents as a 'professional activity'.

People claiming to act as a 'sport agent' should have an 'adequate official qualification' and a European licence, be part of a register, respect a code of conduct with a sanctioning mechanism and fix their fiscal residency 'within EU territory in the interest of transparency'. Parliament is also in favour of the payment of agent's fees for transfers being made in a number of instalments throughout the duration of the contract, with full payment being dependent on the contract being fulfilled.

The report also covers a large list of proposals to develop a 'European dimension of sport' complementing actions of Member States in areas such as health-enhancing physical activity at all education levels, the fight against doping and corruption in the world of sport, promotion of voluntary sport activities and programmes of social inclusion through sport or sustainable financing of grassroots sport.

The proposal also suggests that the European flag should be flown at major international sports events held on EU territory, as well a demand to national sports federations to consider the idea of having it displayed on the clothing of the players of athletes from EU Member States on a voluntary basis.

For more information:

Santiago FISAS AYXELA MEP +32-2-2845169

Pedro López , EPP Group Press and Communications Service, tel:  +32-2-475-493352