UEFA and ECA present letter of intent to EU Commissioner

038 - UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin and ECA Chairman Andrea Agnelli meet EU Commissioner in Brussels

UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin and European Club Association (ECA) chairman Andrea Agnelli have today presented a signed letter of intent to the European Union Commissioner for Sport, Tibor Navracsics.

Building on their cooperation over recent years, the letter of intent, presented in Brussels, outlines the willingness of UEFA and ECA to continue to work together in the coming years to ensure the sustainable development of European football.

This meeting marks the first time a major sports governing body and its leading stakeholder have met together with an EU leader in Brussels at their own request. The meeting provided the opportunity for, the UEFA President and ECA Chairman to highlight their proactive and collaborative efforts to tackle the challenges that professional football faces.

UEFA and ECA have recently jointly addressed major topics of European football governance, such as the strengthening of the Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play regulations, the future of the UEFA club competitions post-2020/21, the modernisation of the transfer system and the social dialogue process.

Both organisations have outlined their strong desire to continue close cooperation in these areas in the years ahead, as well as on other topics such as the international match calendar post-2024.

UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin said: “This letter of intent shows that we are taking our cooperation with ECA to the next level on a wide range of matters, and in the spirit of a genuine and sustainable partnership. We have a strong and common voice when it comes to shaping the game for future generations, and we are pleased that the EU Commissioner supports our common desire to address together the major issues that football is facing in the imminent future.

ECA chairman Andrea Agnelli added: “Today marks an important milestone in the relationship between ECA and UEFA. Building on the work of the last years, with the signing of the letter of intent, we acknowledge that future challenges can only be met through a collaborative and constructive engagement between our two organisations. It is in this spirit that we can ensure that European football continues to develop and thrive in the years ahead. This is the message we are bringing with us to Brussels today and delivering to the European Commission, which we see as a partner in our mission.”

Tibor Navracsics, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, said: “It is good to see that UEFA and ECA have signed a letter of intent outlining their intention to work together in tackling the major challenges facing football. I am convinced that a successful partnership in the spirit of good governance will benefit not only European football, but also our society as a whole. The European sport model and the sustainability of the game can only be preserved through a collaborative and engaged approach."