Foreign countries may spend money in advocacy at the EU level because they want to react or respond to situations in Brussels. For example when the mood in Brussels becomes highly critical of a certain country, the country may feel that Brussels needs to be better informed of the facts or it may feel that the EU needs to be led to view the issue from a different angle (a case of reaction). Of course, alternatively, it may feel that there is little it can do about it (a case of non-reaction).

The Treaty of Lisbon made sport a European Union area of competency, in which it can support, coordinate and complement the actions of the Member States. By promoting sustainable, smart and inclusive growth, and job creation, sport also contributes to the objectives of the Europe 2020 Strategy. Furthermore, it has a positive effect on social inclusion, education, training, public health and active ageing.

The name Gibraltar is the Spanish derivation of the Arabic name of Jabal- Al Taric, meaning the "mountain of Taric". Gibraltar joined the European Union on 1 January 1973 at the time of the United Kingdom’s accession to the European economic community. It did so under an article of the treaty of Rome, now contained in identical form in the treaty on the functioning of the EU, which applies to “European territories for whose external relations a member state is responsible”.

There is a general acceptance in national associations that they need to be effective at the European level if they are properly to serve the interests of their members. While national associations have a good input into the work of their principal European association, they are not as effective at the European level as they are domestically. It is difficult to be effective at the European level, more difficult than it is at national level.