EU Ombudsman Also Opposes Sponsorship of Presidencies

The European Union Ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly, calls for stricter rules regarding commercial sponsorship of the presidency of the European Union. The Ombudsman recommends that the European Council provide member states with guidelines on presidency sponsorship to 'limit reputational risks for the European Union.'

At the end of last year, the European Parliament decided that EU countries are no longer allowed to have their expenses for a temporary EU presidency sponsored by large multinationals. According to a large majority, the costs for the presidency, which rotates every six months between different EU countries, should be covered from the general budget.

This means the costs must be paid from the collective European fund, according to Dutch MEP Lara Wolters (PvdA). “It is absurd that a public institution receives money from a private sponsor. BMW donated one hundred cars as a private sponsor to the Finnish presidency. And this while the debate over vehicle emissions in European politics is ongoing,” Wolters said earlier.

Wolters, who initiated the Parliament’s decision, wants no mixing of interests. “We need to move away from the image that a few individuals or companies can influence EU policy.”

In 2019, the organization Foodwatch criticized the sponsorship of the Romanian presidency of the European Council. Coca-Cola served as a ‘platinum partner’. Along with the European Parliament, the European Council is responsible for legislation and the budget, including food legislation. To cover presidency costs, member states sometimes seek sponsors.

In an open letter supported by a widely signed e-mail petition, Foodwatch called for the immediate termination of the partnership with Coca-Cola. The European heads of state and government rejected Foodwatch’s complaint, arguing that the EU is only responsible for events taking place in Brussels—not for events of individual member states.

Ombudsman O’Reilly believes that the administrative distinction made “is neither perceivable nor relevant to the general public.” The European Council must “exclude or at least limit reputational risks.”

Vicky Cann, who conducts research on the relationship between business and the EU for the investigative organization Corporate Europe, is also satisfied with the ruling. “Commercial sponsorship has been a shameful matter for years. It is remarkable that member states have allowed themselves to be sponsored by technology companies, automakers, and soft drink firms. All decision-making must be free from even the slightest hint of conflict of interest,” Cann says.