UEFA European Championship Bill: BRIA

Enforcement, sanctions and monitoring

The UEFA European Championship 2020 will be a large event hosted in Glasgow and will attract an unprecedented level of commercial activity in public spaces in the proximity of the Championship venue, unless it is proportionately controlled. It is essential that trading and advertising is managed safely, for residents and visitors alike, or the integrity of the Championship will be affected. It is also important that touting of event tickets does not take place in order to protect UEFA's commercial interests as the sole approved seller of tickets. This will have broader benefits in helping to ensure public access to tickets. The Act and its regulations will strengthen the ability to regulate and enforce activity at the right level to ensure this is the case.

Enforcement of the regulations may be carried out by enforcement officers designated by Glasgow City Council. The enforcement officers will be drawn from teams within Glasgow City Council, who are familiar in dealing with street trading and advertising offences (e.g. trading standards officers). Glasgow City Council is considering whether enforcement officers may be required on secondment from other local authorities in order to increase the number of officers available to enforce the restrictions, however, this is uncertain at present. The initial draw has taken place, however, the final make-up of the teams will not be known until the end of March 2020, once the Nations League play-offs have taken place.

Enforcement officers will be familiar with the local traders, will know the local area and will be able to use their existing powers if necessary to deal with other offences. Breaches of the restrictions could result in offending items being seized, removed or destroyed. Deliberate ambush offences will be dealt with using the enforcement powers conferred on designated officers to secure compliance. Although a light touch approach may be taken to minor infringements, persistent offenders and more serious offences could potentially be reported for prosecution through the criminal courts. The enforcement provisions in the Act, including level of penalties associated with the offences, are similar to those included in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games Act 2008, but have been amended in certain areas in light of feedback from Parliament.