Rules of the Game - An assessment of the specificity of sport as a potential legitimate objective under Article 101 (3) TFEU
(2020) JURM02 20201Faculty of Law
Department of Law
- Abstract
- The thesis evaluates the application of EU competition law to sport and aims at evaluating whether the special characteristics of sport could be considered legitimate objectives to the extent as to exempt sport in a future potential block exemption for sport. The specificity of sport is recognized by EU institutions but the division between the economic and social dimension of sporting rules are still under legal uncertainty. Sport’s economic interests are balanced against its social contribution to society through education, health, and inclusion. The commercialization of the sport sector has actualized a discussion regarding the relevance of the sport’s role in society as well as sport’s role within EU law. It is undisputed that sport is... (More)
- The thesis evaluates the application of EU competition law to sport and aims at evaluating whether the special characteristics of sport could be considered legitimate objectives to the extent as to exempt sport in a future potential block exemption for sport. The specificity of sport is recognized by EU institutions but the division between the economic and social dimension of sporting rules are still under legal uncertainty. Sport’s economic interests are balanced against its social contribution to society through education, health, and inclusion. The commercialization of the sport sector has actualized a discussion regarding the relevance of the sport’s role in society as well as sport’s role within EU law. It is undisputed that sport is subject to EU competition law but there is a need of clarification of sport governing bodies’ autonomy. The research conclude that restrictions of a sporting rule can never go beyond what is necessary to achieve the sporting objective and calls on an evaluation on a case-by-case basis. However, sporting rules has been exempted from the applicability of EU competition law before and the research highlight a possible categorization and sporting rules connected to integrity as most likely to be accepted as legitimate objectives. (Less)
- Abstract (Swedish)
- Avhandlingen redogör för EU:s konkurrenslagstiftnings tillämplighet på idrottsområdet och syftar till att utvärdera huruvida idrottens speciella karaktär kan anses uppfylla kraven för legitimt syfte och därmed undantas genom ett potentiellt framtida gruppundantag för idrott. Idrottens speciella karaktärsdrag har erkänts av EU:s institutioner men uppdelningen mellan vad som kan anses vara ekonomiska och sociala delar inom idrott är fortfarande oklar. Idrottens ekonomiska intressen balanseras mot dess sociala funktion i samhället genom bland annat utbildning, hälsa och social inkludering men kommersialisering av idrottssektorn har aktiverat en diskussion vad gäller idrottens roll i samhället samt idrottens roll i förhållande till EU:s... (More)
- Avhandlingen redogör för EU:s konkurrenslagstiftnings tillämplighet på idrottsområdet och syftar till att utvärdera huruvida idrottens speciella karaktär kan anses uppfylla kraven för legitimt syfte och därmed undantas genom ett potentiellt framtida gruppundantag för idrott. Idrottens speciella karaktärsdrag har erkänts av EU:s institutioner men uppdelningen mellan vad som kan anses vara ekonomiska och sociala delar inom idrott är fortfarande oklar. Idrottens ekonomiska intressen balanseras mot dess sociala funktion i samhället genom bland annat utbildning, hälsa och social inkludering men kommersialisering av idrottssektorn har aktiverat en diskussion vad gäller idrottens roll i samhället samt idrottens roll i förhållande till EU:s lagstiftning. Att idrott omfattas av EU:s konkurrenslagstiftning står klart men det finns behov av ett förtydligande vad gäller idrottsorganisationers autonomi och dess omfattning. Kommande framställning drar slutsatsen att begränsningar som konsekvens av en idrottsregel aldrig kan gå utöver vad som är nödvändigt för att uppnå det idrottsliga syftet och kräver en utvärdering från fall till fall. Idrottsregler har emellertid undantagits från tillämpningen av EU:s konkurrenslagstiftning tidigare och framställningen belyser en möjlig kategorisering av idrottsregler som troligtvis kan accepteras som legitimt syfte. Denna kategori av regler är kopplad till integritet och idrottens kärna. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9010712
- author
- Svedberg, Sara LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- JURM02 20201
- year
- 2020
- type
- H3 - Professional qualifications (4 Years - )
- subject
- keywords
- EU law, competition law, sports, sports law
- language
- English
- id
- 9010712
- date added to LUP
- 2020-06-24 10:56:04
- date last changed
- 2020-06-24 10:56:04
@misc{9010712,
abstract = {{The thesis evaluates the application of EU competition law to sport and aims at evaluating whether the special characteristics of sport could be considered legitimate objectives to the extent as to exempt sport in a future potential block exemption for sport. The specificity of sport is recognized by EU institutions but the division between the economic and social dimension of sporting rules are still under legal uncertainty. Sport’s economic interests are balanced against its social contribution to society through education, health, and inclusion. The commercialization of the sport sector has actualized a discussion regarding the relevance of the sport’s role in society as well as sport’s role within EU law. It is undisputed that sport is subject to EU competition law but there is a need of clarification of sport governing bodies’ autonomy. The research conclude that restrictions of a sporting rule can never go beyond what is necessary to achieve the sporting objective and calls on an evaluation on a case-by-case basis. However, sporting rules has been exempted from the applicability of EU competition law before and the research highlight a possible categorization and sporting rules connected to integrity as most likely to be accepted as legitimate objectives.}},
author = {{Svedberg, Sara}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Rules of the Game - An assessment of the specificity of sport as a potential legitimate objective under Article 101 (3) TFEU}},
year = {{2020}},
}