UEFA, ECA sign Memorandum of Understanding

A renewed Memorandum of Understanding for the 2012–18 period was signed today between UEFA and the European Club Association (ECA) on the occasion of the XXXVI Ordinary UEFA Congress in Istanbul, Turkey.

The memorandum was signed by the UEFA President Michel Platini and the chairman of the ECA executive board Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. It paves the way for a fruitful relationship between Europe's football governing body and the association of European football clubs.

The new agreement will run from 22 March 2012 until 30 May 2018 and includes the following points:

Insurance
Pending FIFA's takeover of such a package on a worldwide level, UEFA will establish an insurance covering the injury risk of players while on national team duty. This insurance is valid for all players registered with a European club, irrespective of their nationality, and for all matches mentioned in the international calendar, including both official and friendly matches as from June – and the start of UEFA EURO 2012 in Poland and Ukraine.

Sharing of clubs in the benefits of the EURO
Clubs will now receive an increased amount of €100m from the UEFA EURO 2012 revenues, as recognition of the significant contribution they make to the success of the tournament. This amount will be further increased to €150m for UEFA EURO 2016 in France.

Good governance/club representation in decision-making process
In the future, the UEFA Club Competitions Committee, composed essentially of club representatives, will have a "referral right" on all decisions affecting club competitions. This reinforces the involvement of clubs in UEFA's decision-making process.

International calendar
To support the proposed future international calendar (so-called Status Quo Plus) that will be presented to the FIFA Executive Committee next week for approval, this calendar should basically be made up of nine double-headers over a two-year period with no single friendlies. The August friendly match date would be removed.

Commenting on the agreement with the ECA, Michel Platini said: "I am delighted that this memorandum of understanding is bringing together key stakeholders of the football family. UEFA, its national associations and the clubs have shown unity on several important matters which affect international football. This demonstrates the excellent working relationship we have with clubs and represents a true success in further strengthening the unity of the football family."

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge added: "Today is a historic day for European club football. With this agreement, UEFA clearly recognises the importance of clubs and the significant contribution they make to the success of national team football. The agreement reflects an improved balance between national team and club football and is a great success for the European football family. I sincerely thank UEFA President Platini for his willingness to reach such an agreement with the clubs. Not only the ECA but all clubs in Europe should be proud of this great achievement. We all look forward to continue building the future of European football together with UEFA."

New Memorandums of Understandings were also signed at the Istanbul Congress with the European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL) and the players' union FIFPro Division Europe – updating previous memorandums with these two organisations.

Sergey Pryadkin, EPFL board member, and Philippe Piat, FIFPro Division Europe president, signed the respective agreements with the UEFA President.

"On the occasion of the UEFA Congress, and in front of its 53 member associations," UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino said, "UEFA has signed a memorandum of understanding with each of the three main stakeholders of European football – the clubs, the leagues and the players. The agreements will give European football the necessary stability for the years to come, and they illustrate a commitment of all parties involved in European football to work together to improve the game we all love."