An EU amateur sports working group, chaired by the European Commission, will be up and running in early 2007 if EU sports ministers give it the go ahead during their informal meeting in Brussels next week. Although its precise mandate is yet to be determined, its main task will be to look into the link between amateur and professional sport. “There is currently no distinction in EU law between voluntary sports organisations and professional sports bodies,” said Finnish Sports Director Raija Mattila to Europolitics. She says that nine member states from all the compass points of Europe have expressed an interest. “Normally, working groups comprise around nine member states to keep them manageable,” she added, “but another member state would be welcome to join”.

Back in October, EU sports directors meeting in Finland said in their conclusions that the specific nature of non-profit sports organisations should be recognised and the difference between voluntary non-profit sports organisations and profit-seeking business enterprises should be taken into consideration in EU law. They also want EU sports ministers to “recognise the specific nature of voluntary organisations” and consider their role and status in the White Paper on Sport currently being prepared by the Commission.

However, a working group may well have a tough job because making a strict definition between amateur and professional sport may not be an easy matter in practice. For example, the professional football world may not be keen on the idea.

“Clearly there are differences between the amateur and professional games in all sports but a central feature of the European Sports Model is solidarity with grassroots sport,” said a Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) source. “In this sense, the professional game shares some of its revenue with the amateur game. So it could be dangerous to divorce the amateur and professional games when they need each other.”

As for the Working Group on health enhancing physical activity (HEPA), Mattila says that this has been expanded from covering children and young people to all age groups. She also says that EU sports ministers will be asked if they support the idea of common European guidelines for HEPA being drafted. In her personal view, it should be drafted together with input from different stakeholders such as WHO Europe, researchers, scientists and sports bodies. The Finns also sent out a questionnaire to member states to exchange best practices. Although there are some specific initiatives at local level, she emphasised the point that sport and health are moving up the agenda in member states.

Sports directors also think that health-enhancing physical activity should be taken into account both in the White Paper on Sport and in a possible White Paper on Diet, Physical Activity and Health and for the preparation of the two documents to be coordinated.

Also on the agenda of EU sports ministers is a review of European sport commissioned by the UK Presidency and a European Youth and Sport Forum declaration.