The proposed meeting between a Fifa delegation and the European Commission in Brussels today has been put back to December 13. Fifa requested the delay because they need more time to address the EC's concerns over certain aspects of their alternative suggestions to the present transfer system.

Soccer's world governing body put forward a series of proposals, including a compensation system for the development of players under the age of 23 and an arbitration panel to rule on fees in cross-border moves.

However, though the EC are interested by both concepts, they require far more detail than has presently been made available.

There are also concerns over a suggestion that international transfers for players under 18, another central component of Fifa's proposals, would be a further violation of the freedom of movement of all European Union citizens.

"Specific questions concerning the arbitration mechanism which could be created and the extent of compensation for training fees in instances where players unilaterally breach contracts still have to be answered," said Christophe Forax, spokesman for the European Commission for Sport and Culture.

Attempts are still being made at persuading European players' union FIFPro to enter into formal discussions following their decision to abandon talks because the concerns of their members were not being addressed.

The EC have abandoned the original December 31 deadline for a new transfer system to be put into operation, so negotiations will continue into the New Year.

It appears certain that domestic transfers - including those only involving British clubs - will be governed by national labour law, effectively retaining the status quo.

However, Football League chief executive David Burns has already expressed concerns that clubs will either use a loophole in the law to sign players for minimal fees by encouraging players to take short-term contracts in countries with less strict employment regulations, or abandon the policy of buying home-grown players altogether.

In either case, it could have a devastating effect on youth development programmes across the country, a concern which Uefa also shares.

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

Answers

Too bloody complicated for me to get to grips with. I do believe though that with the likes of Ferdinand going for such a large amount , there will be little change.

One thing that will change though is the work permit situation. A number of countries have agreemnets with the EU, and these counties such as most of the Eastern European ones won't require work permits in years to come, Looks like we will be inundated with cheap Ukranians, Belarussians and Latvians in the next few years.

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

>>inundated with cheap Ukranians <<

.....like Kanchelskis for example. Roll on!

-- Anonymous, December 07, 2000

Latvians like Pahars?

-- Anonymous, December 07, 2000