You're reading: UEFA invests EUR 500 million into preparation of Ukraine and Poland for Euro 2012

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has invested around EUR 500 million in Ukraine and Poland for organization of the Euro 2012 European Championship, Director of the Euro 2012 Local Organizing Committee in Ukraine Markiyan Lubkivsky has said.

"This funding is intended for two countries, for the projects, which will be implemented by UEFA in the two countries," he said at a press conference in Kyiv on Monday.

The tournament director noted that they are currently working on the organization of official fan zones, which will be located in the four cities hosting the tournament.

He said that the mass viewing of the Euro 2012 matches could be organized in other places, but one should get a license from UEFA to do this.

According to him, the process of assembling facilities of the official fan zones of UEFA in Ukrainian and Polish cities will start in May 2012 and the cities will get the first tranche of the financial assistance from the League in March.

Lubkivsky said that UEFA pays great attention to protecting their intellectual property.

"No one has the right to use UEFA’s trademarks without prior written consent of UEFA," he said.

He also reminded only official sponsors of UEFA, exclusive partners and official licensees had the right to use the championship’s brand, all names and symbols.

Lubkivsky noted that the first licensee in Ukraine was the National Bank, which would soon present commemorative coin dedicated to Euro 2012.