LONDON, Feb. 1 (Xinhuanet) -- Ten countries have submitted their bids for the hosting rights for the European soccer championship in 2012, UEFA announced on Tuesday.

    They include joint bids from Croatia-Hungary and Poland-Ukraine,while six other countries submitted their solo bids, namely, Azerbaijan, Greece, Italy, Romania, Russia and Turkey.

    Italy is the only country to have staged the finals in the past,hosting the competition in 1968.

    Candidates for 2012 have to submit their dossiers by July 21. A short-list of three will be selected by UEFA's Executive Committee in November and the hosts chosen in December 2006.

    The 2008 finals will be held in Austria and Switzerland. Enditem