. ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom , ▁the ▁UK ▁Press ▁Card ▁Author ity ▁( a ▁volunt ary ▁cons ort ium ▁of ▁news ▁ag encies ) ▁issues ▁a ▁nation ally ▁standard ized ▁card ▁to ▁United ▁Kingdom - based ▁news ▁gather ers . ▁ ▁In ▁most ▁other ▁European ▁countries , ▁cards ▁are ▁issued ▁by ▁national ▁trade ▁un ions ▁of ▁journal ists . ▁Some ▁require ▁membership ▁or ▁government ▁appro val . ▁ ▁For ▁fre el ance ▁journal ists , ▁organizations ▁like ▁the ▁National ▁Writ ers ▁Union , ▁Professional ▁Publish ers ▁Association ▁Creative ▁News ▁Service ( C NS ) ▁from ▁I CC ▁national ▁Union ▁of ▁Journal ists ▁( UK ) ▁or ▁US ▁Press ▁Association ▁issue ▁cards . ▁ ▁F ake ▁cards ▁G enu ine ▁press ▁cards ▁can ▁be ▁obtained ▁by ▁people ▁not ▁entitled ▁to ▁them , ▁counter fe it ▁copies ▁of ▁real ▁cards ▁can ▁be ▁made , ▁and ▁pla us ible - looking ▁cards ▁can ▁be ▁issued ▁by ▁anybody , ▁or ▁made . ▁The ▁reasons ▁and ▁consequences ▁range ▁from ▁the ▁trivial ▁( free ▁drink s ) ▁to ▁the ▁cat ast roph ic ▁( access ▁by ▁terror ists ▁to ▁r ul ers ). ▁ ▁Sp ur ious ▁cards ▁Press ▁passes ▁not ▁issued ▁by ▁a ▁recogn ised ▁publication ▁can ▁be ▁obtained ▁or ▁made , ▁with ▁the ▁intention ▁of ▁gain ing ▁benefits ▁offered ▁to ▁hold ers ▁of ▁legit imate ▁press ▁cards . ▁Joan ▁Stewart ▁of ▁the ▁Public ▁Rel ations ▁Society ▁of ▁America ▁reports , ▁“ F ake ▁press ▁passes ▁ab ound ▁at ▁restaurant ▁and ▁the ater ▁open ings , ▁sport