Presidency
Germany
Period: July–December 2020
EU Council: 27 November 2020
Minister responsible: Stephan MAYER, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community
Sport Working Party Chair: Torsten WEIDEN
Adopted EU Council Policy Documents
Policy Debate
Topic: International sporting events during the covid-19 pandemic.
Guest speakers: Kamil Novak, Executive Director of FIBA Europe, Niels Nygaard, Acting President of the European Olympic Committees, David Lappartien, President of the Union Cycliste Inernationale (UCI)
Background paper
Council Conclusions on Promoting cross sectoral cooperation for the benefit of sport and physical activity in society.
Summary Full text Source
The Conclusions recognise that sport and physical activity are much more than leisure pursuits: they promote health, well-being, social inclusion and community development. They emphasise that achieving these benefits requires active cooperation across policy sectors such as sport, health, education, transport, environment, research, innovation and urban/rural planning.
Member States are invited to adopt mutual strategies that engage multiple stakeholders and levels of governance, identify policy areas relevant to sport and physical activity, share best practices, and inform stakeholders about relevant EU funding for cross-sectoral sport-oriented projects.
The Commission is asked to support this approach by facilitating best-practice exchange, organising stakeholder meetings, integrating sport into funding programmes, and enhancing knowledge about sport’s positive impact on other policy fields. The sport movement and other stakeholders are encouraged to actively engage in cross-sectoral initiatives, recognise the broader benefits of sport and physical activity, and partner with public authorities to increase participation and maximise social value
The Commission is asked to support this approach by facilitating best-practice exchange, organising stakeholder meetings, integrating sport into funding programmes, and enhancing knowledge about sport’s positive impact on other policy fields. The sport movement and other stakeholders are encouraged to actively engage in cross-sectoral initiatives, recognise the broader benefits of sport and physical activity, and partner with public authorities to increase participation and maximise social value
Council Resolution on the European Union Work Plan for Sport (1 January 2021 - 30 June 2024).
Summary Full text Source
The Work Plan establishes the strategic roadmap for EU sport policy covering 2021 to mid-2024.
It sets out five guiding objectives: fostering an integrity- and values-based sport; strengthening recovery and resilience of the sport sector post-COVID-19; supporting sustainable and evidence-based sport policy; increasing participation in sport and health-enhancing physical activity to promote active lifelong lifestyles; and embedding sport’s contribution across other policy domains via cross-sectoral cooperation and external relations.
The Plan emphasises that sport can serve health, social inclusion, education, innovation, digitalisation and sustainability agendas.
It sets out five guiding objectives: fostering an integrity- and values-based sport; strengthening recovery and resilience of the sport sector post-COVID-19; supporting sustainable and evidence-based sport policy; increasing participation in sport and health-enhancing physical activity to promote active lifelong lifestyles; and embedding sport’s contribution across other policy domains via cross-sectoral cooperation and external relations.
The Plan emphasises that sport can serve health, social inclusion, education, innovation, digitalisation and sustainability agendas.
Member States are invited to engage stakeholders, align national agendas, and contribute to implementation. The Commission is asked to support knowledge-sharing, funding alignment, data-collection, and mainstreaming sport into broader EU policy. The sport movement and other stakeholders are also encouraged to actively participate in the Plan’s implementation and dissemination of outcomes.