The challenge
The EU Beating Cancer Plan proposed a full ban on alcohol sports sponsorship — threatening the commercial freedoms of drinks brands like Heineken and cutting a vital funding lifeline for grassroots sports clubs that rely on local brewers' support. With a European Parliament vote imminent, the stakes for brands and communities alike were high.
The approach
Recognising that fragmented industry voices would fail, Marco personally drove the convening effort — mobilising the brewers' industry association and activating Heineken's in-country public affairs teams across the EU to build a coordinated coalition. This direct intervention aligned international and local brewers behind a shared narrative, channelling pressure from grassroots sports clubs to political representatives, and ultimately forcing a targeted amendment that replaced the blanket ban with a narrower, proportionate restriction.
The outcome
The European Parliament rejected the full ban and adopted the amended text — exactly the position the campaign had argued for. Sponsorship revenue and brand partnerships were protected. A campaign framed around communities, not corporate interests, won where traditional lobbying would have failed.
