By Laura MathersUpdated December 10, 2018 11:42:24As a leading global public relations firm, BMG has long been known for its sophisticated communications strategy.
It was a key player in the global push for the EU to embrace a single market, with its clients often leading the way in setting up and supporting the campaign to ensure that all goods, services and citizens in the EU are treated equally.
In 2018, however, a number of its clients were left in the lurch after BMG was forced to pull out of the European Commission’s digital single market project.
The news followed months of criticism from consumer groups and politicians who said that the EU’s digital strategy had failed to deliver a single-market solution for Europe.
BMG, in particular, has long fought to remain a part of the digital single marketplace, and its exit from the EU was seen as a victory for the European Union over consumer advocates.
Now, BAMG, a division of BMG AG, is facing a number new problems, with new claims from industry trade bodies that it has been unable to deliver on the promise of the EU digital single-takeover, and the fact that it is not fulfilling the promises of its contracts.
A report by the International Trade Association (ITA) and Public Knowledge (which is also representing the likes of Uber) found that BAMT has failed to implement key elements of its Digital Single Market strategy, such as the pledge to support the European Digital Single Marketplace.
The report said the failure to provide a digital single takeover would lead to increased uncertainty for businesses and consumers.
The ITA and Public Interest Europe (PIE) report also criticised the company for failing to meet its promises, such that the promise to set up a European Digital Marketplace was not fulfilled.
It said that BMG failed to follow through with the promise that it would set up the EU Digital Single Takeover Partnership (EDSTP), an EU-wide digital single exchange that would be responsible for ensuring that all citizens have equal access to digital services.
It also noted that BGM had failed in its commitment to set a digital digital singletakeover by 2019.
It is expected that BAGM, the world’s biggest media and marketing agency, will continue to face the fallout from the Brexit vote.
In a statement, BAG’s head of communications, Joanna Brown, said the firm “has been clear in the past about the risks of a digital divide in our industry and the need for an end to digital discrimination.”
It also said the Brexit outcome had made it impossible for it to “continually operate as a leader in the digital marketplace.”
The ITAs report, which is currently undergoing a review, is expected to be published in February.
