The idea of having an EU financial programme for sport in 2012-2013 has been abandoned. The programme had been mooted as a way to kick-start the Union’s action in the field, given the EU’s new competence under the Lisbon Treaty’s Article 165. The financial programme for sport in 2012-2013 was shelved due to budgetary constraints at both national and EU levels.

The Commissioner responsible for sports, Androulla Vassiliou, confirmed the news in recent replies to MEPs’ questions. Officials, however, are quick to point out that this does not mean sport and sport-related projects receive no funding. The Commission is testing future possible so-called ‘incentive measures’ in sport through a series of pilot projects known as preparatory actions.

The preparatory actions were launched in 2009 with a budget of €4 million. They should be running until mid-2013 with calls over three consecutive years. In 2009, 18 projects involving 150 partner organisations were financed. The projects focused on promoting 1. health-enhancing physical activity; 2. education and training in sport; 3. European fundamental values by encouraging sport for persons with disabilities; and 4. gender equality. In 2010, the Commission allocated a further €2.5 million for 12 projects involving 110 partners. Here the focus is on transnational projects aimed at fighting doping, promoting social inclusion as well as volunteering. For the final year of the preparatory actions, in 2011, the Commission has proposed an allocation of €3 million.

The Commission has also allocated a further €6 million this year to co-finance the organisation of the Special Olympics in Warsaw, on 18-24 September 2010, as well as for the World Special Olympics in Athens, on 20 June-4 July 2011. EU money - to the tune of €2 million - is additionally going on the European Winter Youth Olympic Festival in Liberec in the Czech Republic, on 12-19 February 2011.

EVALUATING PREPARATORY ACTIONS

The Commission is about to launch an evaluation report on the sport preparatory actions undertaken so far. The report should be finalised in August 2011 and it will hopefully feed into the Commission’s impact assessment for proposed incentive measures in the next budget period after 2013. The Commission would then make more concrete proposals on a future sports programme by the end of 2011.

Background

The Commission should, on 13 January 2011, set out its plans over the next few years for implementing the new powers offered by the Lisbon Treaty in the field of sport. Centrepiece will be a plan identifying targeted actions where the Commission believes the EU can provide “high added value” in the field of sport (see Europolitics4078).

Under Article 165 of the Lisbon Treaty, Union action in this field should be aimed at “developing the European dimension in sport, by promoting fairness and openness in sporting competitions and cooperation between bodies responsible for sports”.