Finland, which will head the European Council for six months, has recently officially accepted the sponsorship of the BMW car company.

This unusual practice is eminently shocking. It was denounced, in vain, as early as in April, by a hundred of European deputies who qualify these as generosities from philanthropists of "harmful practices".

At a time when the pressing influence of lobbies poses the legitimate question of conflicts of interest in public action, this "commercial sponsorship" for the benefit of a European decision-making body is provocative. The European organization can only dishonor itself by acting as a 'commercial sports club'.

This decision, which says a lot about its promoters, is also involved in the scandal of "dieselgate" and free trade treaty negotiations that are concluded, as we know, for the benefit of automobile manufacturers, including those in Germany.

Consumers who are being deceived by the drivers and agricultural professionals worried about the consequences of EU trade negotiations will appreciate this initiative. They expect to be defended by impartial authorities and they feel the bitter feeling of suspicion of bias or corruption.

As for the Council, it cannot, as it did pitifully, wash its hands in front of a question whose poisonous character taints the honor and eventually the reputation of all the European institutions.

The ID Party, which includes the Rassemblement National, Lega, Vlaams Belang, Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs, Svoboda a prima demokracie, Eesti Koservatiivne Rahvaerakond, Nea Dexia, Sme Rodina, Kongres Nowej Prawicy, VOLYA and For Britain, is launching a petition to urge the Finnish Presidency to put an immediate end to this scandal of commercial sponsorship. In order to remove any ambiguity, it requires that in the future, sponsorships be banned from the functioning of the European authorities.