AUGUST 1 saw the end of tobacco sponsorship for major sporting events right across Europe.

This is a blow to those people who like to pretend that passing laws at EU level is a bad idea. The usual argument is that we could just as well take these decisions at national level. But the issue of tobacco sponsorship is a lesson for eurosceptics about the benefits of taking decisions collectively with our neighbours at European level.

For years, many governments have been convinced of the need to end tobacco advertising, but ran into a problem when it came to big sporting events: unilateral action banning sponsorship in one country could easily lead to the sport in question simply relocating elsewhere.

We all remember the saga of Grand Prix sponsorship, when Formula 1 responded to the first countries to contemplate banning tobacco advertising by saying they would pull the Grand Prix out of that country and hold it elsewhere. The same potential problem applied across many sports.

But by agreeing to act at EU level, governments have ensured that European countries cannot be played off against one another in this way. Standing together, EU countries have enough clout to ensure that international sports federations have to comply with our decision, rather than looking for cynical ways around it. Another one in the eye for the europhobes!

Richard Corbett,

Labour MEP for Yorkshire & the Humber,

Blenheim Terrace, Leeds

Updated: 10:55 Monday, August 08, 2005