Institutional Relations Working Group (London, May 2011)
Since the creation of ECA, Working Groups have been an important cornerstone of ECA's organisational structure. They provide active advice and support to the ECA Executive Board and to ECA representatives participating in committees or working groups at UEFA, FIFA and EU level. Their contribution is key and strategic to the association. In addition, they drive membership engagement and communication across the organisation on key issues, challenges and opportunities.
The European Club Association counts five different working groups, which each deal with one of the following topics: Competitions, Finance, Institutional Relations, Marketing & Communication, Youth.
The ECA Executive Board decided on the final composition of the five ECA Working Groups for the 2010-12 membership cycle at its meeting on the 4th of October 2010 in Munich. Due to the high number of applicants (120 applications from 46 countries), the board decided to slightly adapt the overall working group concept in order to allow for larger involvement and exchange. The new working group concept is based on the following principles:
- The four subdivisions have to be proportionally and evenly represented;
- The working groups are composed of 18 members plus the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman;
- The Working Groups meet at least twice per year on the occasion of the General Assembly; however, ad-hoc meetings may be organised depending on the urgency of the matters;
- The Working Group Chairman can set up a "Task Force" upon specific need if an urgent matter arises (e.g. Finance Task Force for the Financial Fair Play Implementation)
- The Executive Board Members have access to any working group in accordance with their preference at any time;
- The UEFA Club Competitions Committee Members are automatically part of the Competitions Working Group;
- The EU Social Dialogue Committee Members are automatically part of the Institutional Relations Working Group.