According to the (Talk)radio here in Minnesota:

BRITISH TRANSFER SYSTEM TO REMAIN by Nic Evans

VIVIANE REDING, a senior Commissioner with the European Union, responsible for sport, has declared that the British transfer system will not be affected when sweeping changes are made.

The main focus of the proposals will be to sort out transfers made between different countries within the EU and will avoid changing the domestic side of deals.

This will be a major relief to the likes of Leeds United, who have just purchased Rio Ferdinand for an amazing £18 million and Newcastle United, who splashed out £2.2 million on former Colchester starlet Lomano Tresor Lua Lua.

It would seem that the EU has fallen short of demanding a comprehensive system that would impose a fixed transfer market throughout Europe and instead concentrated on players from different nationalities joining foreign clubs.

The news may induce a plethora of transfers as clubs, in the main, have been unwilling to make a move for players, until the transfer mists had cleared.

Ms Reding told the Daily Telegraph: "We do not touch by any means the national transfer system. This is not at all under scrutiny."

What clubs must be worried about is that this could make British players even more expensive, because buying from abroad could become more expensive with 'severance fees' in place.

Ms Reding had been in London for two days, meeting with government ministers and explaining the new rules.

She continued: "This is a question of national law and will have to be sorted between the British government and the British leagues. It is a question of British law being applied to transfers between British clubs.

"So none of the discussion under way now is going to touch this."

The initial study into transfers was sparked by the Belgian players' union complaining about the influx of foreign players and after the Marc Bosman ruling, it would appear that Brussels is again the focus of transfer history.

If a club buys a foreign player they would be liable to pay a severance payment, similar to one where an important employee is head-hunted from one company by another.

Any disputes would be put before a committee of football officials, in the hope of avoiding court action, although in these litigious days this would appear unlikely.

Ms Reding blamed inaction by Fifa as to why the EU intervened, saying: "Under the Treaty of Rome we had to act and complain, and if we hadn't, the European Court would have condemned us.

"That is why we now welcome the discussion with the football authorities."

-- Anonymous, December 02, 2000

Answers

Don't really understand that MR Screacher, perhaps you can "layman term it"

-- Anonymous, December 02, 2000

Sorry Mr Rik. Ws it the italics that put you off? I think it says that transfers between British clubs will not be affected by any changes the EC might force. So, Leeds wouldn't have got Ferdinand for any less (unless they'd waited 'til Wham had played Leicester) and Lua x2's price wouldn't be affected had we waited untiul any changes were made.

However, what it doesn't indicate is what will happen between Brit clubs and non-Brits. If that system goes out the window, then it must affect the internal market.

-- Anonymous, December 02, 2000