It took some perseverance from journalists and civil society but finally the six-month Croatian presidency of the Council of the EU has admitted that like other EU presidencies it too has accepted corporate sponsorship. While no information yet appears on the Croatian presidency website, indicating a regrettable lack of transparency, it has told reporters that it has signed sponsorship deals with seven Croatian companies including oil company INA. This firm, whose largest shareholders are the Croatian Government and Hungarian fossil fuel company MOL, is designated as the EU Council presidency's "official gasoline supplier", despite the fact that the European Commission is about to launch its European Green Deal. This supposedly groundbreaking EU policy seeks to cut carbon emissions and fossil fuel consumption.

Earlier this month, the European Ombudsman has called upon the Council to issue guidelines on the commercial sponsorship of EU presidencies. In a reply to a complaint by the consumer organisation Foodwatch International, the Ombudsman recommended such guidance in order “to mitigate the reputational risks to the EU.” Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly made it very clear that “the Presidency is part of the Council, and must operate in a neutral and impartial manner”. The Ombudsman even called the Council's official position that it was “not responsible” for the commercial sponsorship of a Council presidency a form of “maladministration”.