On 7th July 2020, the EU Commission released a Report on the implementation of the Work Plan for Sport 2017-2020. The main goal of the Plans is to promote and develop cooperation in sport policy between EU institutions, Member States, and sports stakeholders, focusing on a specific number of activities with a clear EU-added value.
The Report highlights how sport policy has gained an increasing role in contributing EU’s economic, health, and social objectives. Covid-19 has reiterated this importance both at the elite and grassroots levels. According to the surveyed member states, sports stakeholders, and EU Institutions, the Plan has guaranteed a correct implementation of actions over its three main priorities: Integrity of sport -Economic dimension of sport -Sport and society.
The future EU Work Plan for Sport (2021-2024) will be published by the end of the year. In this regard, the Report lists recommendations for the future:
– need for wider dissemination of the Erasmus Plus project results
– the major role of sports stakeholders
– an extension of duration to three years and half
– increase links with other EU priorities such as Green Deal, digital Europe, and the Cancer Action Plan
– the economic, social, and health impact of Covid-19
Besides, these particular priorities the Plan may be based, as the previous, on three main priorities which perfectly clarify the mission of EU sport: 1) sport as a tool for the promotion of values and inclusion 2) the economic dimension of sport and 3) sport as a tool to promote a healthy lifestyle.
Eventually, the Report stresses the importance of sport organization in the implementation of the sports policy. Indeed, EuropeActive through Erasmus+ projects, the contribution to the events of the European Week of Sport, the participation to the expert groups, inputs, and speaking at seminars and conferences have contributed in the last three years to the successful implementation of the Plan and look forward to work in the framework of the new one.
https://www.europeactive.eu/news/future-eu-work-plan-sport-2021-2024
