Activites

• 2001/05/07 Final act published in Official Journal
• 2000/09/07 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament summary

    In her speech following the debate on the social dimension of sport, Ms. Viviane REDING, on behalf of the European Commission, agreed with the proposals and suggestions made by the Members, but stressed that it was no longer simply an ethical problem but, first and foremost, a problem of public health. The Commission's action must firstly consist in gathering opinions of experts, then involving itself in the world conference on doping in sport, and, lastly, harmonising Community actions in the various fields, in particular health and research. No action would be feasible without the support of the Member States and without dialogue with the sports federations, whether at national, EU or world level. She affirmed that the reports that had been presented by the European parliament would serve as vital leads to Community action in the future. She also announced her wish to organise a European Year of Sport in 2004.�

  • T5-0378/2000 summary

    In approving the report drafted by Mr Pietro-Paolo MENNEA (ELDR, I), the European Parliament adopted the resolution on the Commission report to the European Council with a view to safeguarding current sports structures and maintaining the social function of a sport within the Community framework - the Helsinki Report on Sport. The European Parliament calls on the Commission to involve the existing work of the European Network of Sport Sciences in Higher Education (ENSSHE) and the subject of vocational training and qualifications for sportspersons in the EU's Socrates and Leonardo Programmes, together with the reintegration of sportspersons in the labour market when their sporting activity comes to an end. The Parliament underlines the importance of sport education at school and it calls on the Member States to attach due importance to the teaching of physical education in the curricula of all schools and to encourage young people to take part in amateur sports. Furthermore, the Parliament calls on the Intergovernmental Conference to include an explicit reference to sport in Article 151 of the Treaty, so that in its action the EU can recognise the cultural, economic and social phenomenon that sport represents. With regard to sporting associations, these should be encouraged, wherever this is intended to support amateur sport and show solidarity with the less-advantaged sections of society. In addition, the Parliament calls on the Commission to collect and disseminate widely best practice developed by local and regional authorities as community leaders and key players in local regeneration partnerships, as well as providers and enablers of services to all people in the community. Member States are urged to establish a sporting federation for disabled people, both the physically disabled and those with learning difficulties. Particular attention should be paid to the development, funding and promotion of sport for disabled people and to safeguard their special needs as part of sports culture and to provide exchanges between disabled and non-disabled sportspersons. Finally, to improve the situation of women, the European Parliament calls on sports organisations to share out responsibilities in sport between women and men and develop gender equality plans for their members. �

• 2000/07/13 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • A5-0208/2000
• 2000/02/18 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• 1999/12/10 Non-legislative basic document published
  • COM(1999)0644 summary

    PURPOSE : To present a report on safeguarding current sports structures and suggesting ways in which the social function of sport may be maintained. CONTENT : The social function of sport has been affected by the emergence of new phenomena which sometimes call into question the ethics of sport and the principles on which it is organised. This report gives pointers for reconciling the economic dimension of sport with its popular educational and social dimensions. It makes the following points: - the European approach to sport has been affected by several phenomena. These include the rise in popularity of sport, its internationalisation, and the unprecedented development of its economic dimension. One of the first signs of these developments is the overloading of sporting calenders, which is linked to the expansion in doping. The others include the temptation for some sporting operators and certain large clubs to leave the federations in order to derive the maximum benefit from the economic potential of sport for themselves alone, and the hazardous future facing young people who are being led into top level sport increasingly young, with no other vocational training. - the Community, its Member States and the sporting movement need to reaffirm and stregthen the educational and social function of sport. With regard to he educational aspects, the Community could, amongst other things, promote the subsequent switch to other employment and future integration of sportspersons into the labour market. All institutions must join forces to combat doping. The integrity and autonomy of sport must be preserved. The purchase of sporting clubs by commercial bodies, such as communication groups, must, if permitted, be governed by clear rules, out of a concern for the preservaion of ethics.�

  • DG [{'url': 'http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture/', 'title': 'Education and Culture'}],

Documents

• Non-legislative basic document published: COM(1999)0644
• Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading: A5-0208/2000
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T5-0378/2000

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)