The Secretariat-General of the Council of the EU, in a draft ‘Guidance for Presidency best practice on the use of sponsorship’ dated 29 June, calls on the Presidencies of the Council of the EU to pay attention to the consequences that such sponsorship can have on the reputation of the EU Council.
The European Ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly, opened an inquiry on 19 July 2019 into the commercial sponsorship of Presidencies (see EUROPE 12301/3).
While it is for the Member State holding the Presidency to choose autonomously how it will finance the costs not covered by the EU Council, the Secretariat advises to the State, in this document obtained by EUROPE, “to carefully consider the possible impact of the use of sponsorship on the reputation of the EU Council or the EU”.
The Presidency must “avoid any actual or perceived conflict of interests and any possible reputational risks for the EU Council or the EU arising out of the sponsorship”. “Presidencies are encouraged to establish clear and transparent rules on sponsorship selection, including award criteria based on good governance, the subject-matter of the sponsorship and sponsorship benefits, and to make the list of sponsors publicly available”, says the Secretariat.
Furthermore, in its view, the Presidency should take all necessary measures to ensure that such sponsorship activities are not perceived as activities of the EU Council. Neither should they affect, or be perceived as affecting, the EU Council’s decision-making process, nor should they be provided in exchange for specific visibility for sponsors in relation to the EU Council’s policy-making. “In particular, the EU Council’s name or logo cannot be used by the sponsor in its activities”, specifies the Secretariat. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)