Around 300 football fans from over 30 countries gathered this weekend in Copenhagen and Brondby for their yearly European Football Fans’ Congress.
The Congress discussed Fans and the media, Football and violence, Good hosting of fans, and preparations for Euro 2012. The workshops led to proposals for concrete actions to be realised during the coming football season.
William Gaillard, adviser to the President of UEFA, opened the congress showing his appreciation for the work that Football Supporters Europe (FSE) did over the past few years and challenged the congress to take part in big upcoming discussions such as league structures and the ownership of football clubs.
The congress also welcomed speakers from the Council of Europe, the European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL), the Danish League, Brondby IF and the head of the football police unit of Copenhagen.
In one of the discussion sessions the Danish football fans had a long dialogue with the Danish police and their League that led to concrete agreements to install a structural dialogue, in order to raise the quality of their relationship to each other.
During the Annual General Meeting on Sunday the members elected a new executive Committee. Four new members were elected - Martin Endemann (Germany), Riccardo Bertolin (Italy), Mehdi Tazraret (France) and Joanna Laska (Poland) – to join re-elected sitting members from England, Slovakia, Belgium and Norway.
Over the last year FSE’s membership grew to the extent that the organisation now represents more than 3,000,000 football fans all over Europe.
The congress also adopted unanimously a resolution in which FSE demands that FIFA urgently becomes more transparent in relationship to money, ethical standards and transparent procedures.
