Football finance and the impact of the world economic slowdown upon the football cluster has been placed high at the top of the agenda of the Board of Directors of the EPFL. In a meeting chaired by Sir Dave Richards, on Thursday 28th May 2009, in Edinburgh, the EPFL has addressed a number of key issues, which also included contractual stability, protection of intellectual property rights and sports betting integrity, and agreed on the strategic lines of action and priorities to be pursued.
Following the Board’s meeting, the members of the EPFL Task Force for “Good Financial Governance at the national level” gathered to conclude the analysis of a comprehensive survey recently launched by the Association on different crucial financial areas of professional football. Composed by top experts on football finance and senior Leagues’ representatives, the EPFL Task Force has examined key issues, such as the legal structure, management and ownership of clubs in Europe, club licensing systems for national competitions, cost control measures and supervisory mechanisms and fit and proper person’s test, as well as possible ways to further enhance the standards of Professional Football and further develop the Leagues and clubs business models in the national and international context.
The outcome of the work carried out by the mentioned expert group shall be presented during the next meeting of the EPFL General Assembly, on 24 June 2009, in Moscow. A set of important recommendations addressed to the 28 EPFL member Leagues and 932 affiliated clubs shall be approved then.
