On 23rd November 2021, the European Parliament adopted the report on EU Sports Policy: Assessment and Possible Ways Forward, which EuropeActive contributed to.
The report makes several recommendations for the future of sport and physical activity policy, such as improving coordination between European institutions and civil society organisations to further develop the role of sport in various policy areas such as the environment or the economy. In addition, it calls for a respect of European values in sports, such as gender equality. Promoting an active lifestyle is also strongly recommended by increasing the possibilities to be physically active.
The rapporteur of the report, MEP Tomasz Frankowski, emphasized on the importance of sports in other policy areas such as youth, internal market, education and health, which is why sports policy should be more mainstreamed in the EU. He reminded that “sport is for everyone. It should be fair, non-discriminatory, equal, inclusive, and should be beneficial for all.” He also called for more funding, especially as part of the new recovery and resilience instruments. Lastly, Mr Frankowski highlighted the role of sport and physical activity in social inclusion, and in building an innovative and well-balanced, sustainable future. The sport sector can do a lot for climate and the environment, which is why EuropeActive is part of the expert group on Green Sport.
The report is available here.