Platform for Executive Consultation meetings series starts
Europe’s clubs this week began the process which will help shape and inform the future activities of the European Club Association.
ECA executives are going out to clubs to hold a series of Platform for Executive Consultation (PEC) meetings. These pan-European gatherings are a focused moment in the European club football calendar when ECA meets with its member clubs to engage in a true two-way conversation. It is an opportunity to listen to their needs and issues, while providing crucial updates on the services and advisory opportunities that ECA offers to its clubs.
It is also a face-to-face moment to engage in meaningful consultation and to enhance the business and personal relationship between the clubs and the association.
ECA CEO Charlie Marshall, said: "European football is embarking on a transformative journey. Through our upcoming PEC meetings, we aim to foster stronger collaboration in the decision-making process of European club football. These meetings represent an important moment when the joint consensus of our various club representatives will shape the trajectory of the game.”
The meetings are aimed at both the men’s and – for the first time – the women’s game and next week will see the women’s clubs’ PEC on 5 February followed by the first PEC session for men’s clubs on 6 February. Both are being held in Paris.
During these sessions, ECA Member Clubs will receive comprehensive updates on the progress made during the first seven months of the 2023/24 season, including the new club coefficient and distribution model for the 2024-27 cycle. That will set the stage for transparent discussions and active engagement. Additionally, the PECs will feature workshops aimed at shaping ECA’s future strategies for member engagement and services.
The upcoming PEC meetings represent a significant opportunity for European club football, offering members a dedicated forum to influence the direction of the association and the dynamics of member relations.
Jeremy Cottino, Membership Project Leader, commented: “This season’s PEC meetings have as main objective to collect feedback in order to shape the future of member relations and engagement.
“The second important element is the fact that for the first time, we have a women’s club PEC and two Network Club PECs.”
To underline the importance ECA places on the PECs, alongside the Women’s and Network Club sessions, the number of PECs has been extended from four previously to seven this season.
Cottino added: “This expansion underscores ECA's commitment to inclusivity and collective decision-making, recognising the diverse needs and perspectives within European club football.”
ECA will travel across diverse European regions to ensure that contact is made with the largest and most diverse range of clubs as possible. The schedule for the PEC meetings is:
- Women's Clubs’ PEC and PEC I, 5 & 6 February - Paris, France
- PEC II, 8 February - Tivat, Montenegro
- PEC III, 27 February - Kranj, Slovenia
- PEC IV, 29 February - Gibraltar
- Network Clubs’ PEC, 11 & 12 March - Frankfurt, Germany (hosted by ECA Chairman's Special Envoy, Axel Hellmann, at Eintracht Frankfurt).