Michel Platini has told sports ministers that UEFA need the power to introduce rules on finances for clubs in their European competitions.
The UEFA president said he wanted to ensure ”financial fair play” in their UEFA competitions such as the Champions League and UEFA Cup.
Platini said: ”What UEFA can do – and we are thinking seriously about doing it – is to reinforce and improve our system for granting licences for our own club competitions.
”It is in this way that we wish to contribute to financial fair play, and start responding to the expectations of the various parties involved in our sport.
”Fiscal rules in Europe are extremely diverse…and the systems of licensing, control and financial management of football clubs involve a myriad of concepts and different regulations.
”UEFA is not going to charge itself with the task of harmonising European fiscal issues.
”UEFA is not going to impose its licensing system on national associations for their own competitions,” Platini told the ministers.
Platini also called for a halt to the trafficking of young footballers, and a ban on transfers of players under the age of 18.
Platini said: ”Today, in the world and in Europe, there is trafficking of children. I will not mince my words because the situation is serious.
”What else do you call a phenomenon whereby children aged 12 or 13 are torn away from their environment and culture to join a business in return for payment? This is what is happening in football.
”Together with FIFA, we are studying remedies, but measures can already be taken to ban the international transfer of minors, even within the European Union.
”In numerous European states, strict rules exist which prevent clubs – on threat of sporting sanctions – poaching [young players] from their rivals’ training centres. However, these rules do not exist at European Union level.
”It is in this context that we would like to be able to ban international transfers of players under the age of 18 within the EU.
”This is not to create an obstacle to the free movement of labour – it is an urgent matter relating to helping youngsters in danger.”
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