EU flag on sports shirts” report adopted by EU Parliament amid angry scenes

An EU report calling on national sports teams to wear the EU flag on their shirts received its final backing from the European Parliament today – with the support of Socialist and Liberal MEPs.

The report, which also recommends that the European flag should be flown over major international sports events, was vehemently opposed by Conservative MEPs.

In fact it was Conservative opposition to the report at committee stage which saw clauses removed that sought to make the EU flag compulsory on international kit and would have demanded it be flown at events such as the London Olympics, Wimbledon, Saturday’s Calcutta Cup or the Lord’s Test. Instead the report voted through by the socialists and liberals now simply recommends that national sports governing bodies should adopt the Brussels flag.

The report, entitled The European Dimension in Sport, also seeks to bar sports agents from operating anywhere in the EU unless they pay taxes there, a move likely to starve many top British sides of overseas talent, especially in cricket and rugby.

Conservatives objected furiously when the parliament’s new President, German Socialist Martin Schulz, denied MEPs the right to vote on individual clauses in the report “in the interests of efficiency”.

Earlier Emma McClarkin, Conservative spokesman on sport and culture in the European Parliament, said the measures would offend loyal fans, interfere with professional sport and do nothing to boost grassroots volunteering or participation.

The East Midlands MEP made an impassioned plea to the Parliament to drop the package of measures altogether.

She condemned the EU flag proposal as “outrageous and unnecessary” and told MEPs: “Sport has a special place in my country, and our national teams form a key part of our identities and heritage. The EU cannot impose an artificial European identity on us by forcing our athletes to wear its emblem.

“The report also calls for any agent representing a sportsperson who plays in Europe to have their fiscal residence in the EU; despite the fact that many players are not European and many sportspeople themselves have their fiscal residence outside the EU.

“Taxation and legal frameworks operating at national level should be left alone – it is up to each member state and the sport governing bodies to decide how they run their national sports.

“There are 35 million volunteers in sports in Europe, providing the opportunities for other citizens to participate and stay active. Sadly, this report is focused mainly at professional levels, leaving amateur and grassroots sport with little support.

“This report fails to address the issues affecting sport at grassroots level and instead looks for ways to develop an artificial European identity by exploiting the popularity of professional sport in Europe. It is a wasted opportunity.”

After the vote she said: “Conservatives cried foul over this every step of the way, only to see MEPs on the Liberal and Socialist benches effectively wave play-on.”