The European Parliament adopted yesterday a report, entitled The European Dimension in Sport. According to the European Parliament “the European flag should be flown at major international sports events held on the EU territory.” The MEPs have also suggested that the European flag should be displayed on the clothing of athletes from Member States, flanking the national flags.

Emma McClarkin MEP, Conservative spokesman on sport and culture in the European Parliament, said that this report “was vehemently opposed by Conservative MEPs.” She pointed out that “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”. Hence, “the report voted through by the socialists and liberals now simply recommends that national sports governing bodies should adopt the Brussels flag.”

Emma McClarkin has described such proposal as "outrageous and unnecessary". She rightly said “The EU cannot impose an artificial European identity on us by forcing our athletes to wear its emblem.”

According to The Express “opponents warned it still showed that eurocrat fanatics were intent on stamping out nation states’ identities and interfering in every aspect of people’s lives.” Moreover, it noted “Despite the financial crisis engulfing the eurozone, the flag issue had taken up MEPs’ time at seven committee meetings, culminating in final speeches on Wednesday night and yesterday’s vote by the whole European Parliament.”

This is an own initiative report. Therefore, it will now be up to the Commission to take on board European Parliament's recommendations, in upcoming proposals. It is important to recall that the Lisbon Treaty has given the EU a new competence on sport. Sport is one of the areas where the Member States should have exclusive competence but the Union provides support or co-ordination. The EU has now competence for coordinating member states' sports policies.