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As Sweden takes over the rotating presidency of the European Union, Stockholm is offering companies a chance to impress the dignitaries.
The team, which plans official meetings in Stockholm and Brussels for the Swedish presidency, will not accept sponsorship, according to a statement. But there’s some pretty fine print: This only applies to the Secretariat of the Presidency. If Swedish ministries wish to host their own presidential events, they can seek help from sponsors.
The EU covers the costs for “formal” presidential events – summits – but it is up to the presidency to pay for “informal” meetings of ministers, conferences and cultural events, which are often held in Brussels instead. Held on the home turf of the presidency.
Some capitals have taken full advantage. From the donation of cars to transporting visiting ministers or bottles of wine to lubricate working dinners to outright financial aid, corporations have found a way to pitch in with the EU Council presidency and – watchdog alert Let’s pitch your own agenda.
Transparency activists are not happy.
Stockholm’s decision to leave a door open to sponsorship is “incredibly disappointing,” said Vicky Cain, a researcher at the Corporate Europe Observatory, a transparency NGO that has tracked presidency sponsorship. over a decade now.”
following a Scolded by the European Union OmbudsmanCouncil prepared some guidelines for sponsors in 2021, with comprehensive statements about avoiding conflicts of interest and presenting a public list of sponsors. The clearest directive was that sponsors could not use the council’s logo. But the Capitals have resisted a common, binding set of rules.
Highlighting the divisions, the next three Presidencies of the Council are all taking different approaches to sponsorship.
Spain will no longer have corporate sponsorship during its presidency, in the second half of 2023, according to a diplomatic source. Contracts for things like food, audiovisual services and security will be awarded through tenders – and paid for.
For Belgium, which will take over in early 2024, sponsorship opportunities will be limited to vehicles for the transport of guests, said Hendrik Van de Velde, Belgium’s presidency coordinator. This has been a popular approach among recent presidents – and one that has been criticized.
France, for example, caught fire For having access to Stellantis and Renault for in-kind transport assistance during his presidency a year ago. Paris drummed up partnershipWhich exclusively included hybrid or electric vehicles, as a show of commitment to net-zero emissions.
Problem? the French Presidency was overseeing negotiations on things like Charging infrastructure for electric cars,
“They try and brand it with, ‘It’s great, it’s green, it’s environmental,'” Cain said. “They completely ignore that there is a conflict of interest.”
France said at the time that its rules for sponsorship prohibited “all forms of commercial communication related to charity” and “ensure that the President of France will not consider any endorsement that could lead to a conflict of interest”. or damage the reputation of the Council and the European Union.”
platinum club
Sponsorships can be a boon for lobbyists – as a tactic for influence, or as an opportunity to generate new business.
“Now is the chance for private companies to get involved, advocate for access and seize the opportunity to gain greater market position at EU level.” clearly the case A Zagreb-based communications agency called 404 in the lead-up to Croatia’s 2020 presidential run, calling sponsorship a “huge opportunity” for businesses.
In 2021, Portugal took the heat To engage with organizations such as The Navigator Company, a pulp and paper manufacturer known for hiring ex-politicians, as well as stake in debates on the EU’s health policy ambitions with drink vendors .
Coca-Cola was one of the sponsors of “Platinum”. Romania’s presidency in 2019, along with Mercedes, Renault and Romanian Telecom Digi. Gold-level partners include oil company OMV Petrom, power utility Enel and the Association of Romanian Breweries.
dial back
According to the Swedish Presidency statement, if the ministry works with sponsors to cover the costs, those arrangements “will be made available to the public.” The statement did not take note of any existing deals.
Sweden’s policy of banning sponsorship at the secretariat level is a change from 2009, when Volvo was the largest of the three sponsors. for the presidency.
Although it is not clear what the sponsorship was, inviting automakers to sign up to provide transportation has become a common approach. More recently, the Czech Presidency noted Škoda and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles are overall partners to provide the (electric) cars and buses respectively – the companies “bid in an open call tender that was open to all car manufacturers,” said Alice Krutilova, director of the Council Presidency of the Czech Government. Said office.
Separately, Czech Presidency enlisted Separate sponsors for ministries, a possible preview of what the Swedish approach might look like.
Sponsors from the Czech Ministry of Trade included piano manufacturer Petroff as well as the Association for Virtual and Augmented Reality. Ministry of Agriculture mentions Budweiser Budvar Brewery. The Czech Embassy in Brussels enlisted the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Those sponsorships were subject to rules adopted in 2021, Krutilova said, requiring ministries to verify that companies operate above board, and to disclose data such as the actual value of goods or services provided .
In recent years, only Germany has dropped sponsorship altogether, according to a log maintained by the Corporate Europe Observatory.
Cain said, “We think the whole thing should be banned.” “We’re not talking about big bucks anyway.”