EU Criticises German Gaming Treaty
The European Commission has criticised the Federal German states on all aspects of its draft State Treaty on gaming, highlighting its compatibility with European Community law. The Commission argued that key provisions of the scheduled State Treaty were being disproportionate and incompatible with the EC Treaty.
These provisions include restrictions on the free movement of capital, advertising restrictions, limitation on sales outlets and restriction of sales channels as well as other restraints of competition.
Rainer Jacken, spokesman for German lottery lotto company Fluxx AG said: “The EU has recognised that certain federal states are trying to exploit their legislative power in the face of super ordinate law, not – as is erroneously and repeatedly claimed – to protect people against gambling addiction, but to eliminate the competition and corner the economic advantages of monopolising the market. They won’t succeed,”
“We wait with interest to see how those responsible will now react to this second, more outspoken warning from Brussels,” he continued. “To plead ignorance, as they did in their reply to the EU Commission’s first statement of position, will obviously now be completely out of the question.
Because the EU Commission’s renewed directive to subject the draft State Treaty to a thorough review could not have been clearer. We appeal to all Prime Ministers finally to take control of the issue and not be ordered about by their own officials and directors of lotteries.”
