“Football is not only a game, it is a sport that unites millions. It is also an economic activity that creates jobs and attracts investments. Football and the activities of sports federations should be transparent, without a shadow of doubt. Trust in football and FIFA must be restored, and to this end, the EU Council will follow developments in the association more closely,” stressed Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica in her remarks at the European Parliament.
The EU Council has been paying attention to how sporting organisations are governed and run. In 2011, the Council adopted a first European Union Work Plan for Sport, thereby also agreeing on a set of "Principles of Good Governance in Sport".
“The European Union institutions have a role to play in ensuring that the good governance principles developed and adopted at EU level are recognised and implemented in all European Union Member States,” said the Parliamentary State Secretary.
Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica also pointed out that the Latvian Presidency of the EU Council has made the fight against corruption a priority, which is also confirmed by cooperation with GRECO, the Group of States against Corruption. A positive step is the agreement on the Anti-Money Laundering Directive reached during the Latvian Presidency.