News from the European Commission
May 2023
Launched by the European Commission, the #BeInclusive EU Sports awards aim to support project and individuals that are dedicated to promoting social inclusion in sport through innovative ideas. On May 2nd and 3rd, during the EU Sport Forum organised in Stockholm, the laureates of this year were awarded.
- #BeInclusive – Breaking Barriers : Free Movement Skateboarding (FMS), from Greece
- #BeInclusive – Be Equal : Kajak Klub Zlatorog, from Slovenia
- #BeInclusive – Sport for Peace : Youth Line, from Portugal
Initié par la Commission européenne, les trophées #BeInclusive EU Sports visent à soutenir des projets et des individus dédiés à la promotion de l’inclusion sociale dans le sport à travers des idées innovantes. Les 2 et 3 mai derniers, lors du Forum européen du Sport organisé à Stockholm, les lauréats de cette année se sont vus remettre leur récompense.
October 2022
Commission work programme 2023: A recognised role for sport in a comprehensive approach to mental health
Last 18 October 2022, the European Commission adopted its 2023 Commission work programme setting out the next steps in its bold and transformative agenda.
Based on the conclusion of the Conference on the Future of Europe, the creation of a European Health Data Space is now a key pillar of the European Health Union. The European Commission aims at responding to these proposals with a comprehensive approach to mental health will also continue to promote sport and the mental and physical benefits of a healthy lifestyle across society and across generations, building on the HealthyLifestyle4All initiative and its Youth Ideas Labs.
A new agreement strengthening the cooperation between the European Commission and UEFA
On October 6th, UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin and European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas renewed in Brussels the EC-UEFA Arrangement for Cooperation. The first cooperation agreement entered into force in 2014.
The new cooperation agreement reaffirms the resolve of the European Commission and UEFA to protect and strengthen the European Sport Model, based on European values, solidarity between elite and grassroots levels, sporting merit, an open system of promotion and relegation and the protection of the physical and moral integrity of sportsmen and sportswomen.
The partnership continues a long-standing and productive dialogue with a major sport organisation in Europe.
August 2022
European year of youth 2022
The European Year of Youth (EYY) 2022 is taking place in a post-pandemic context, which has strongly affected young people, by limiting mobility and sports activities. However, being physically active has an impact on mental health and is an important factor of sociability. Therefore, this edition 2022, supports young people in their personal, social and professional development, which includes a focus on health, well-being and sport, all three being closely linked and complementary.
July 2022
EU Sport forum 2022
n the framework of the EUFP, the “EU sport forum” was organised with the European Commission on June 16th and 17th in Lille. This event aims to support the actors of the European sport world and to make them exchange on different themes. The topic of the EU Sport Forum 2022 was “European Sport: fair, inclusive and fit for a sustainable future” and it focused on the societal impact of sport.
April 2022
EU Sport forum 2022 : Save the Date !
The next EU sport forum will take place on June 16th and 17th in the French city of Lille. This European Commission-led initiative supports a yearly event – allowing representatives from public policy, EU institutional, private enterprise, educational and other experts from across the field of sport to discuss challenges, opportunities, and the future of Sport in the EU.
Stay tuned !
Nominations for #BeActive Awards 2022
Nominations for the 2022 #BeActive Awards and now open. The #BeActive Awards supports projects and individuals across Europe who are dedicated to the promotion of sport and physical activity. This year, the awards will ne divided into four categories:
- #BeActive Education Award
- #BeActive Workplace Award
- #BeActive Local Hero Award
- #BeActive Across Generation Award
Every week, information on the finalists is published !
March 2022
A 6-area action plan to achieve gender equality in sport
On March 15th, the European commission published its latest action plan which includes recommendations in six areas to improve equality in sport. The recommendations listed in this action plan were elaborated by a specific high-level group established by Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth.
The high-level group proposed recommendations in the following 6 thematic areas
- participation
- coaching and officiating
- leadership
- social and economic aspects of sport
- media coverage
- gender-based violence
February 2022
Selection of pilot & preparatory projects under 2021 call announced
Results of funded projects were published on 15 February following the 2021 call for preparatory actions and pilot projects. As a reminder, three areas are covered by the preparatory actions and pilot projects calls:
- sport as a tool for integration and social inclusion of refugees
- grassroots sports programmes and infrastructure innovation
- building investigative capacity to better fight doping in sport in Europe
This time, a total budget of EUR 5.5 M has been dedicated to these actions.
For Commission’s main priorities for these projects are the following ones:
- to make sport more inclusive
- to promote grassroots sport and
- to support the integrity of sport
A record number of registrations for the latest Erasmus+ Sport Info Day
The latest Erasmus+ Sport Info Day took place online from 31 January to 2 February 2022 with a record number of 1480 registrations. As usual the event aimed to inform potential applicants and stakeholders about the funding mechanisms of the Erasmus+ 2021-2027 sport programme. Participants also had networking opportunities to design their future projects.
This Erasmus+ Sport Info Day was also the occasion for the European commission to present the new aspects of the funding programme. Among others, a specific call on Capacity Building targeting EU Member States, third countries associated to the Programme and Western Balkans, was introduced.
November 2021
#BeActive Award Ceremony 2021
On 29 November was held the 7th edition of the #BeActive Awards Ceremony. During this event, winners of the #BeActive Awards competition have been announced. This competition aims to praise and support projects and individuals dedicated to the promotion of sport and physical activity across Europe in three main categories: #BEACTIVE EDUCATION AWARD, #BEACTIVE WORKPLACE AWARD, and #BEACTIVE LOCAL HERO AWARD
The Commission launched the calls for proposals under Erasmus+ call for 2022
For the next year, Erasmus+ will continue to provide opportunities for mobility and cooperation in education, training, youth and sport with an increased budget of nearly €3.9 billion. Key new features to the calls are: more exchanges with third countries (especially in the fields of vocational education and training, and sport), bringing the EU closer to schools, or the possibility to be involved in forward-looking projects which will support the adaptation of education and training systems to the green transition.
October 2021
Publication of the 2021 Physical Activity Fact Sheets
The European Commission published its third edition of the Physical Activity Factsheets on 13 October. It provides an overview of physical activity in EU Member States and relative policy initiatives. Based on a European Council recommendation from 2013 on promoting health-enhancing physical activity, the reports provide insight into 23 indicators evaluating Health-Enhancing Physical Activity levels and policies in the EU.
Launch of the Western Balkans Agenda on innovation, research, education, culture, youth and sport
On 6 October at the EU-Western Balkans Brdo Summit, leaders of the European Union and its Member States, together with Western Balkans leaders launched the “Western Balkans Agenda on Innovation, Research, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport”. It aims to create a comprehensive, long-term cooperation strategy of the European Union and the Western Balkans. This Agenda will open opportunities for sport through several actions: promote participation of the Western Balkans under Erasmus+ Sport actions and #BeActive Awards (as well as involvement in the HeathlyLifestyle4All initiative) and participation of Albania, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Kosovo and Montenegro in the international dimension of Erasmus+.
September 2021
Launch of the HealthyLifestyle4All initiative
On 23rd September, Commissioner Mariya Gabriel officially launched the HealthyLifestyle4All (HL4A) initiative. This two-year initiative, supported by the European Commission, “aims to raise awareness about the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle in terms of diet and physical activity. It also seeks to improve access to healthy lifestyles for all generations and social groups.” To increase uptake and broaden its outreach, the European Commission is inviting representatives of sport organizations, civil society, international, national, regional and local authorities to help design the HL4A initiative.
Launch of the European Week of Sport
From 23-30 September, the official Opening of the European Week of Sport took place in Bled, Slovenia. Since launching in 2015, the European Week of Sport has been fighting physical inactivity. This year’s edition gathered more than 30 national federations representing a variety of sports held in a special sports village, and saw many activities promoted around EU Member States.
August 2021
Call for Tenders: ‘Support to the Development of Harmonised Sport Statistics in the EU’
The general objective of this tender is to support evidence-based policy-making at the national and EU level by harmonizing existing methodologies and definitions on sport statistics. The results of these activities will also feed into the follow-up work of the Expert Groups on Economic Dimension and on Sport Statistics. This could open the way towards a possible future European Sport Satellite Account.
June 2021
EU Work Plan for Sport: second Expert Group meetings scheduled
With the participation of representatives of EU Member States and sport stakeholders, the second meeting of the European Commission’s Expert Group “Recovery and Sustainability of the Sport Sector during the COVID-19 Pandemic” took place on 14 June. Two deliverables will be published: a document presenting recommendations for the recovery of the sport sector and a document on the inclusion of sport and physical activity in policy processes.
EU Sport Forum 2021
On 8-9 June 2021, the European Commission organized the annual EU Sport Forum headed “Towards a healthier, resilient and sustainable European sport”. This online event was officially opened by Commissioner Gabriel and focused on the main challenges and priorities for European sport: sustainability, health, and inclusion through sport. Moreover, Commissioner Gabriel officially announces the HelathyLifestyle4All initiative.
May 2021
Preparatory Actions & Pilot Project calls
Three calls for Pilot Projects and Preparatory Actions in the field of sport launched on 4th May 2021. They aim to introduce new initiatives that might turn into standing EU funding programmes on three subjects: building capacity to better fight doping in sport in Europe, sport as a tool for integration and social inclusion of refugees, and on grassroots sport programmes and infrastructure innovation.
April 2021
Erasmus + Call pusblished and open
The new call for Sport action was published by the European Commission. With a deadline the 20th of May, coming month will be focused of organising S&C work for the coming years, keeping in mind our core topic : promotion of physical activity, gender equality, sustainable development more information
Mapping of innovative practices in the EU to promote sport outside of traditional structures
A new study sets out to map innovative approaches to sports’ promotion outside of traditional structures such as clubs and teams. More information
Position paper on the mainstreaming of sport in the recovery mechanisms and cohesion policy funds
In the framework of the SHARE Initiative, S&C signed the document including sport-related proposed amendments to be adopted in the legislative procedures for different EU Funds. More information
March 2021
Sport Info Day 2021
The aim of the event is to inform potential applicants about the political context, future programme, simplification and funding opportunities in 2021. Speakers will discuss policy and will give advice and tips on preparing and submitting proposals, and on the financial aspects of funding.
Erasmus+ 2021 call
Launched of the call for proposals for projects starting in 2022 (the application deadline is May 20, 2021)
Publication of the new 2021 Erasmus+ Programme Guide
The document provides an overview of the possibilities for projects to be funded by the European Union within the Erasmus+ programme
February 2021
Partnership between UEFA and the European Commission
The partnership, established in 2014, is extended until the end of 2021.
Erasmus + Coordinator’s meeting
The Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) organised the online «Project Coordinators’ Meeting« on 09/02/2021 to inform beneficiaries on the administrative procedures, guidance on project management and financial issues.
January 2021
Launch of the New European Bauhaus
The New European Bauhaus is an environmental, economic and cultural project, aiming to combine design, sustainability, accessibility, affordability and investment in order to help deliver the European Green Deal. The core values of the New European Bauhaus are thus sustainability, aesthetics and inclusiveness.
Mariya Gabriel meets with Andreas Zagklis, Secretary General of the FIBA
The discussion was mainly focussed on the importance of bringing more #girls to basketball and the role of #basketball in the European Model of Sport
#Sport is a unique part of European #heritage, promoting autonomy, openness, & solidarity.