IMPACT OF THE EU ON LEGAL REGULATION OF THE PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL PLAYERS EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS

Abstract

In this paper author has analysed provisions of the Agreement regarding the minimum requirements for standard player contracts in the professional football sector in the European Union and the rest of the UEFA territory, and explained importance of social dialogue under auspices of the EU as institutional mechanism for concluding the Agreement. Special attention has been given to the issue of legal system of arbitration proceeding for settling disputes between clubs and players, and also to peculiarities of solutions foreseen by the article 12 of the Agreement. Moment of concluding the Agreement and its provision were brought in correlation with historic changes of treatment of sport and athletes in EU and practice of the Court of Justice of the European Union in the case of legal dispute between Union Royale Belge des Societes de Football Association and Others versus Jean-Marc Bosman. In the closing part of the paper, a position has been taken that realisation of the Agreement regarding the minimum requirements for standard player contracts in the professional football sector in the European Union and the rest of the UEFA territory represents an important accomplishment within scope of protection of employment rights of football players as workers in a specific part of the sport industry. Furthermore, it has been emphasised that rulings of the Court of Justice of the European Union in the cases of Dona, Bosman, Deliege and Lethonen, and subsequent signing of the Agreement, must be viewed as building up strength of regulatory function of the EU and its member states at the EU sport market.