Green light for reform proposals

UEFA is set to become an even stronger and more transparent governing body in the years to come, following approval of a proposed programme of good governance reforms at the 41st Ordinary UEFA Congress in Helsinki on Wednesday.

The reforms were given the green light by delegates from UEFA’s 55 member associations.

They were a key element of the manifesto presented by UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin ahead of his election to the helm of European football last September, and were unanimously endorsed by the UEFA Executive Committee in February.

"These changes are essential if we are to rebuild our image, restore our credibility and strengthen our legitimacy," said Mr Čeferin. "This is a necessary step towards calm and stability."

The reforms will now be laid down in UEFA's statutes.

Key proposals that were backed by the national associations were:

• Introduction of term limits for the UEFA President and members of the UEFA Executive Committee, with the possibility to serve for a maximum of three four-year terms

• Candidates for (re-)election on the UEFA Executive Committee must hold an active office (president, vice-president, general secretary or CEO) in their respective national association

• Granting of two full member positions on the UEFA Executive Committee to representatives of the European Club Association (ECA)

• Strengthening of the UEFA Governance and Compliance Committee with the additional appointment of two independent members to the current three-member body

• Inclusion of a specific article in the UEFA Statutes to ensure that venues for all UEFA competitions are selected in a fully objective manner through a transparent bidding process

• Inclusion of a specific article in the UEFA Statutes to put ethics and good governance as a statutory objective of UEFA

• Allowing of experts from national associations to chair UEFA committees