Busy agenda for UEFA committees in Nyon

UEFA's committees take centre stage this week when several meet at UEFA headquarters in Nyon to discuss a broad palette of issues concerning European football and its well-being.

Nineteen committees are involved in shaping UEFA's policy across the wide span of European football. The committees deal with subjects ranging from medical matters and players' status/transfers to refereeing, finance and the UEFA competitions; they submit advice, proposals and recommendations to UEFA's Executive Committee, which may also delegate some of its duties to a specific committee.

UEFA committees and expert panels have an advisory function, unless regulations adopted by the Executive Committee grant them decision-making powers.

On Monday, the HatTrick Committee will discuss the current situation of UEFA's assistance programme on behalf of its 53 member associations, which is in its second four-year cycle until 2012.

The following day, a meeting takes place of the Marketing Advisory Committee which, among other tasks, oversees the general marketing strategy for all UEFA competitions for the attention of the Executive Committee, and advises on issues regarding the relationship between UEFA and its various marketing and media partners.

Tuesday also sees a gathering of the Media Committee, which administers all media matters pertaining to UEFA and football. On Wednesday, the Medical Committee will exchange views on current medical topics related to football.

Thursday's agenda focuses on the Football Committee, which is responsible for issues concerning the protection and further development of the game, and draws up recommendations on national team and club matters, player protection and image, and other football-related items which have an impact on the sport.

Also on Thursday is a meeting of the Development and Technical Assistance Committee, which supervises UEFA's technical and football assistance/exchange programmes within its member associations; monitors the development and implementation of the UEFA Coaching Convention; and oversees grassroots and player development, especially the UEFA Grassroots Charter.

The Legal Committee analyses football-related legal issues and counsels UEFA accordingly, and this committee gets together on Friday. Likewise the National Team Competitions Committee which takes care of the ongoing national team competitions for senior and Under-21 teams, and monitors preparations for the final rounds of the UEFA European Football Championship and the UEFA European Under-21 Championship.