Organisers of the 2000 European championship finals have promised to provide more tickets for "genuine" fans compared with previous major tournaments.

Tickets will not be sold as part of travel or accommodation packages.

"We want a fair, open and transparent system . . . There will be more tickets for supporters of the two opponents. In France (for the World Cup) they each received eight per cent. We will double that," Euro 2000 secretary Harry Been told a news conference.

A further 37 per cent of the 1.2 million tickets for the tournament, which will be jointly hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands, will be offered directly to the public from March or April next year.

Euro 2000 organisers are keen to stress they do not want to criticise but instead draw conclusions from the experience of this year's World Cup in France.

A ticketing policy which favoured French nationals and led to a vigorous black market in ticket sales came under fierce criticism from the media and the European Commission.

Part of the French problem came from the desire to guarantee full stadiums, said Euro 2000 director Alain Cortais. Euro 2000 organisers want capacity crowds but say they have opted for a ticketing policy offering "reasonable" prices.

"You will pay for what you get - the ticket," said Been, adding organisers would insist national federations adhere to the conditions.

The final of the tournament will be held in the Feyenoord stadium in Rotterdam. "De Kuip", as the stadium is known, will host the final on July 2nd, 2000.