PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY IN SPORT

The Treaty of Lisbon made sport a European Union area of competency, in which it can support, coordinate and complement the actions of the Member States. By promoting sustainable, smart and inclusive growth, and job creation, sport also contributes to the objectives of the Europe 2020 Strategy. Furthermore, it has a positive effect on social inclusion, education, training, public health and active ageing.

The EU's agenda for sport is based on three strategic documents: the 2007 White Paper on Sport, the 2011 Communication on "Developing the European Dimension in Sport" and the EU Work Plan for Sport for 2011-2014.

Three priority themes have been identified and accompanied by actions for the period 2011-2014.

Integrity of sport, in particular the fight against doping and match-fixing: This includes the preparation of draft EU comments to the revision of the World’s Anti-Doping Agency’s world anti-doping code; the fight against match-fixing, the development of principles of transparency concerning good governance and organisation of sport; addressing the issues related to access to and supervision of the profession of sports agents and to transfers in team sports (in particular the issue of the transfer of young players).

Social values of sport, in particular health, social inclusion, education and volunteering. This includes the preparation of a proposal for European guidelines on ‘dual careers’ aimed at ensuring that young athletes receive quality education alongside their sports training; following up on the inclusion of sports-related certificates in national qualifications framework with reference to the European Qualifications Framework; exploring ways to promote health enhancing physical activity and participation in grassroots sport.

Economic aspects of sport, in particular sustainable financing of sports and evidence-based policy making. This includes promoting data collection to measure the economic benefits of the EU sport sector; strengthening financial solidarity mechanism between professional sport and grassroots sport.

Implementation of the Work Plan is supported by expert groups created by the Commission and the EU countries in the following areas: anti-doping; good governance in sport; education and training in sport, sport, health and participation; sport statistics and sustainable financing of sport. The Commission collaborates with the sport movement and competent organisations at national, European and international levels. It will submit a report by the end of 2013 evaluating the implementation of the work plan.

Key Stakeholders

Key stakeholders include European sports federations, European interdisciplinary sports organisations, in particular the European Olympic Committees, the European Paralympic Committee (EPC), Special Olympics and European non-governmental sports organisations, national sports organisations and national Olympic and Paralympic committees, others involved in sports represented at European level, including the social partners, other European and international organisations, in particular the sports bodies of the Council of Europe and UN bodies such as Unesco and the WTO.

• Association Européenne de Jeux et Sports traditionnels
• Association of European Team Sports
• Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations (AIOWF)
• Association of Summer Olympic International Federation (ASOIF)
• Confederation of European Baseball
• Association of European Union Premier Professional Leagues (EPFL)  
• EU Athletes (European Elites Athlete Association)
• EU Sports Platform
• European Association of Sport Employers (EASE)
• European Boxing Association
• European Capital of Sport Association
• European Club Association (ECA)
• European Coaching Council
• European College of Sport Science
• European Confederation of Outdoor Employers
• European Deaf Sport Organisation
• European Equestrian Federation
• European Fair Play Movement
• European Federation for Company Sports
• European Football Agents Association (EFAA)
• European Football Federations
• European Gaming and Betting Association
• European Gay & Lesbian Sport Federation
• European Handball Federation
• European Handball Players Union
• European Health and Fitness Association
• European Health Enhancing Physical Activity network (HEPA Europe)
• European Lotteries and Toto Association (AELTE)
• European Network of Academic Sports Services
• European Network of Sport Science, Education and Employment
• European Newspaper Publishers’ Association (ENPA)
• European Non-Governmental Sports Organisation
• European Observatoire of Sport and Employment
• European Olympic Committees (EOC-EU)
• European Paralympic Committee (EPC)
• European Physical Education Association
• European Professional Football Leagues
• European Ramblers Association
• European Sailing Federation
• European Snack Association (ESA)
• European Sponsorship Association
• European Sport and Economics Association
• European Sport For All Network (ESFAN)
• European Sports Security Association
• European Student/Athlete Network
• European Underwater Federation
• European University Sports Association
• European Women and Sport
• Eurosport
• FARE network
• Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)
• Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
• Féderation Internationale des Footballeurs Professionnels
• Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry
• Fédération Spéléologique de l'Union Européenne
• FIBA Europe (Fédération Internationale de Basket)
• Fédération Internationale des Associations des Footballers Professionnels (FIFPro)
• FIRA - Association Européenne de Rugby
• Football Supporters Europe
• Forum Club Handball EEIG
• International Association for Sport Newspapers (IASN)
• International Cricket Council
• International Handball Federation (IHF)
• International Ice Hockey Federation
• International Olympic Committee (IOC)
• International Rugby Board
• International School Sport Federation
• International Sport and Culture Association
• International Sport for All Federation
• International Sports Federations
• IRMES
• IWG
• News Media Coalition
• Rugby League European Federation
• Special Olympics Europe / Eurasia
• Sport Accord (International Sports Federation)
• Sport & Citizenship
• Sport and Recreation Alliance
• Streetfootballworld
• Supporters Direct
• Tennis Europe
• The European Athlete as Student Network
• The European Lotteries
• The Evaluation Partnership
• Transparency International
• Trim & Fitness International Sport for All Association (TAFISA)
• United European Football Association (UEFA)
• UNI Europa
• Union Européenne de Gymnastique
• Union Européenne de Motocyclisme
• Wheelchair Basketball Federation, European Zone

* in bold most proactive stakeholders