Vol. 575 No. 3
94 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will report on EU proposals to control football hooliganism at international soccer events being brought forward by the current Italian Presidency. [26817/03]
The Italian Presidency of the Council of the European Union has proposed an initiative on the use by member states of bans on access to venues of football matches with an international dimension. The initiative was subsequently considered and adopted by the EU Council of Ministers on 17 November.
The principal provisions of the Council decision are: to invite EU member states to examine the possibility of introducing provisions establishing a means of banning individuals previously guilty of violent conduct at football matches from stadiums at which football matches are to be held; to invite EU member states to consider supplementing any such bans with provision for penalties in the event of non-compliance; to invite member states to consider the possibility of taking appropriate steps to ensure that orders imposing any such bans issued domestically may also be extended to cover certain football matches held in other member states; and to take into account orders issued by other member states and pass on information on bans to the host country via the football information contact points that were established by Council Decision 348/JHA of 2002. This data should only be used for the purpose of denying the person access to the stadiums.
