ECJ: Portuguese Football No-Poach May Comply with EU Law

The Luxembourg-based ECJ stated that while the agreement pursuing an anticompetitive aim in recruitment, it also aimed to ensure stability of player rosters in the First and Second Divisions during the suspended 2019-20 season. The agreement, reached in April 2020, prevented clubs from signing players who had unilaterally terminated contracts due to pandemic circumstances.

The Portuguese competition body initially rated the agreement as a violation of competition law in 2022. The ECJ acknowledged the agreement constitutes a 'manifest restriction of competitive parameter' but noted it occurred in the 'very specific context' of the pandemic, which had a 'fundamental impact' on professional football. asg-reflektory.pl