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Conclusions of the Ministerial conference

MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE "THE EUROPEAN UNIÓN And sport: EXPECTATIONS COMPLEMENTARY"

ALL 27-28 NOVEMBER 2006

CONCLUSIONS OF THE CONFERENCE

The Ministerial Conference "European union and sport: Expectations complementary ” was organized by the European commission in cooperation with the Finnish presidency of the European Union, in All on 27 and 28 November 2006.

Sports ministers of the European Union:

1. It emphasized the importance of sport, reflected in the statement 2000 on Special lascaracterísticas of sport and its Social Role in Europa (Bitch Statement).

2. Was unanimously welcomed the intention of creating by the committee a iniciativapolítica on the role of sport in Europe, which could take the form of White Paper, responding to the wishes of the sports ministers to grant to sport a more prominent role in the European and national policies.

3. Was highlighted with interest the intention of the White Paper, not only enhance the intrinsic value of sport, but also the social and economic dimensions of sport, as well as promoting its organisational specific traits through Europa. Ministers agreed that, more specifically, the white paper should:

  • Ensure that European policies increasingly increase the value añadidodel sport and its potential to achieve the strategic objectives of the European Union in the social and economic fields.
  • Increase the development and implementation of "the specificity of sport" in line with the declaration of the council Bitch, in full compliance with European and national laws and recognize the principle of subsidiarity.
  • Facilitate relations between the European Union and sport with the aim of guide and get more clarity between those interested in sport.

4. Requested Commission wing identification and concentration in Priority areas that relate to the three principalessecciones of the white paper.

5. The following suggestions regarding the social role of sport:

  • Define and promote social and educational roles of sport within the framework of cohesion policy of the European Union, as well as the status of sports organizations without spirit of lucre based on volunteerism.
  • Find ways to integrate the concept of physical activity beneficial for the health (INTERESTING ARTICLE) with the concept of the social role of sport, especially in relation to the scope of the goals set in the recommendations adopted at the Informal meeting of ministers Luxemburgo sports (April 2005) and the working group Sport and health.
  • Mobilize political instruments and programmes of the European Union for the use of sport as a tool for the strengthening of economic development, social cohesion, education, health and motivation of citizenship.

6. They were made the following suggestions regarding the economic dimension of sport:

  • Improve understanding and Fort Marlborough which make the macroeconomic impact of sport, particularly its growth and job creation potential, combining work at European level on common data and definitions statistics.
  • Join the economic potential of sport of the HAT to achieve the objectives of Good Neighborhood.
  • Do a reflection on the need to establish the financing of sport on a balance safer.

7. Having heard the presentation by Mr. D. José Luís Arnaut, based on the Independent report on European sport, and Mr. D. Kai Holm, on behalf of the International Olympic Committee produced the following suggestions regarding the organization of sport:

  • Address the challenges posed by the interaction between the specificity of sport and the application of the law esportiva of European Union.
  • Continue the dialogue with sport movements, in respect of the current autonomies to overcome these challenges at European level.
  • Encourage this process by facilitating the exchange of information, data and a best practice in the field of the organization of sport.

8. It was confirmed the commitment to implement the goals emanating from the Bitch Statement, as well as the need to continue working at European level.

9. Was expressed the need to commit to maintain a consultation process open and transparent on the white paper and expressed a desire to remain closely together in this process. In this regard, the sports ministers of the European Union established a working group during the German presidency, in cooperation with the committee, with the aim of helping the commission in the preparation of the White paper.

The European Commissioner for education, training, culture and Multilingualism, in charge of sport:

10. Confirmed its intention to make a draft of the White Paper on the role of sport in Europa as a means of giving It greater weight in the achievement of European politics.

11. Noted the suggestions of the sports ministers of the European Union with the aim take into consideration for the future White paper.

The sports ministers of European Union and the European Commissioner:

Sport and health

12. Confirmed the need for integration of different political sectors responsible for physical activity as a source of health through cooperation interwoven the HAT and member states.

13. Recommended that within the priorities of the working group on Sport and health include the exchange of relations among all the member states of the European Union; investigate the development and implementation of projects undertaken jointly with sports organizations; and raise common European guidelines for physical activity beneficionsa for health, in cooperation with the platform for nutrition, health and physical activity of the commission and other European organisations relevant in the subject.

Sports organizations nonprofit

14. Was confirmed the creation of a working group to review the status of sports organisations without spirit of lucre under the law of the HAT, which serápresidido by the European commission.

15. Recognized the specific nature of sports organisations non-profit and noted that the differences between sports organisations of non-profit volunteer and businesses companies for profit should be taken into account within the policies of the members of the HAT.

Fight against doping

16. There was recognition to all members of the HAT for having been able to speak with a single voice in elections to the WADA; Congratulations to Sr. Jean-françoise Lamour, French Minister for youth, Sports and associations, on his election as Vice President of the WADA and Sr. Brian Mikkelsen, Danish minister for culture, on your election to cargoeuropeo in the Executive committee of the WADA.

17. Underlined the importance of the World conference against doping in sport, which will take place in Madrid of 15-17 November 2007; agreeing on the preparation of the conference, including among its priorities, the agendas of the upcoming meetings of the sports ministers of the European Union.

18. Was expressed their strong commitment to the ratification and implementation of the International Convenión the UNESCO against doping in sport and raised a preliminary discussion on the objectives to take into account in the first conference of groups to the convention.

Large

19. Was held the statement by the forum of European youth and sport 2006.

20. Noted the next Informal meeting of ministers of sports to be organized during the German presidency in Day on 12-13 March 2007, as well as the possibility to join this event with the designation deStuttgart as European Capital of Sport during the same year.