STUDY Requested by the CULT committee EU sports policy: assessment and possible ways forward Policy Department for Structural and Cohesion Policies Directorate-General for Internal Policies EN PE 652.251 - June 2021 3 RESEARCH FOR CULT COMMITTEE EU sports policy: assessment and possible ways forward Since the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, the EU has been entitled to support, coordinate or complement Member States’ activities in sport. European sports policies of the past decade are characterised by numerous activities and by on-going differentiation. Against this backdrop, the study presents policy options in four key areas: the first covers the need for stronger coordination; the second aims at the setting of thematic priorities; the third addresses the reinforcement of the role of the EP in sport and the fourth stipulates enhanced monitoring. This document was requested by the European Parliament's Committee on Culture and Education. AUTHORS Deutsche Sporthochschule Köln: Jürgen MITTAG / Vincent BOCK / Caroline TISSON Willibald-Gebhardt-Institut e.V.: Roland NAUL / Sebastian BRÜCKNER / Christina UHLENBROCK EUPEA: Richard BAILEY / Claude SCHEUER ENGSO Youth: Iva GLIBO / Bence GARAMVOLGYI / Ivana PRANJIC Research administrator: Katarzyna Anna ISKRA Project, publication and communication assistance: Anna DEMBEK, Kinga OSTAŃSKA Policy Department for Structural and Cohesion Policies, European Parliament LINGUISTIC VERSIONS Original: EN ABOUT THE PUBLISHER To contact the Policy Department or to subscribe to updates on our work for the CULT Committee please write to: [email protected] Manuscript completed in June 2021 © European Union, 2021 This document is available on the internet in summary with option to download the full text at: https://bit.ly/3cwK44r This document is available on the internet at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=IPOL_STU(2021)652251 Further information on research for CULT by the Policy Department is available at: https://research4committees.blog/cult/ Follow us on Twitter: @PolicyCULT Please use the following reference to cite this study: Mittag, J. & Naul, R. (2021), EU sports policy: assessment and possible ways forward, European Parliament, Research for CULT Committee – Policy Department for Structural and Cohesion Policies, Brussels Please use the following reference for in-text citations: Mittag and Naul (2021) DISCLAIMER The opinions expressed in this document are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position of the European Parliament. Reproduction and translation for non-commercial purposes are authorised, provided the source is acknowledged and the publisher is given prior notice and sent a copy. © Cover image used under the licence from Adobe Stock EU sports policy: assessment and possible ways forward CONTENTS LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 6 LIST OF FIGURES 10 LIST OF TABLES 10 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: THE PARLIAMENTARY DIMENSION OF EUROPEAN SPORTS POLITICS AND POLICIES 11 Background: Treaty change and policy evolution 11 Key Findings: Institutional and sectoral dynamics 11 Recommendations: Coordination, Prioritisation, Parliamentarisation and Information 12 PREFACE / INTRODUCTION 14 1.1. Background and Framework 14 1.2. Content and Outline 15 1.3. Methods and Documents 16 THE »PAST«: EUROPEAN SPORTS POLITICS BEFORE AND AFTER ‘LISBON’ 18 2.1. The emergence of sports politics at European level 18 2.2. The European Parliament and sports politics before ‘Lisbon’ 20 2.3. Experiencing the implementation of sport into the treaties 23 2.3.1. The European Commission 23 2.3.2. The Council and the Council Presidencies 26 2.3.3. The advisory EU bodies 27 2.4. The European Parliament and sports politics after ‘Lisbon’ 28 2.5. Sporting organisations 32 THE »PRESENT«: CURRENT ASPECTS OF EUROPEAN SPORTS POLICIES 34 3.1. Political Dimension 35 3.1.1. Human and Social Rights 35 3.1.2. Good Governance and Integrity 38 3.1.3. Doping 40 3.1.4. Sports Diplomacy 42 3.1.5. Sport and Environment 43 3.1.6. Hosting Sport Mega Events 46 3.1.7. Violence, Racism, Homophobia, Spectators 46 3.2. Economic Dimension 48 3.2.1. Sports Industry 48 3.2.2. Media Sports and Digitalisation 49 3 IPOL | Policy Department for Structural and Cohesion Policies 3.2.3. Employment Relations 50 3.2.4. Regional Development 51 3.2.5. Free Movement for professionals 52 3.2.6. State Aid 53 3.2.7. Sporting facility building 55 3.2.8. E-Sport 56 3.3. Socio-cultural Dimension 57 3.3.1. Grassroots sports, sport for all and informal sport 58 3.3.2. Youth development 60 3.3.3. Volunteering 61 3.3.4. European Qualifications Framework and Dual Career 62 3.3.5. Physical education and health enhancing physical activity 64 3.3.6. European Week of Sport and European School Sport Day 69 3.3.7. Safeguarding of children 70 3.3.8. Diversity, women in sport and underrepresented groups 72 3.3.9. Social inclusion 75 3.4. Current issues/ Hot Topics 77 3.4.1. Brexit 77 3.4.2. Refugees 79 3.4.1. Multi-Annual Financial Framework 80 3.4.3. COVID-19 pandemic 81 ASSESSMENT AND PRIORITIES: DELPHI STUDY 87 4.1. Three Dimensions of Sports Policy Over Time 89 4.2. Relevance and Importance of EU institutions 90 4.3. Contact with EU institutions and bodies 91 4.4. Relevance and Importance of Political Sectors over Time 93 4.5. Additional Sectors 97 4.6. Relevant Organisations and Federations 98 4.7. Interim Conclusions from the Delphi survey 99 CONCLUSIONS AND PERSPECTIVES: SCENARIOS FOR EUROPEAN SPORT POLITICS AND POLICIES 101 5.1. General Conclusions: Growth and Differentiation 101 5.2. Options for the Future: Scenarios for the future of European sports politics and its parliamentary dimension 104 5.2.1. Short term – the »status quo«-scenario 104 5.2.2. Medium-term – the »gradual communitarisation«-model 104 4 EU sports policy: assessment and possible ways forward 5.2.3. Long term – the »supranational« scenario 105 5.2.4. Spill-back – the »re-self-governance«-scenario 106 RECOMMENDATIONS: REFINE, REFORM, REMODEL AND REVIEW 108 6.1. Twelve key recommendations at a glance 108 6.1.1. Refine – Coordination 108 6.1.2. Reform – Prioritisation 109 6.1.3. Remodel – Parliamentarisation 110 6.1.4. Review – Information 111 6.2. Additional recommendations 112 6.2.1. Refine – Coordination 112 6.2.2. Reform – Prioritisation 114 6.2.3. Remodel – Parliamentarisation 117 6.2.4. Review – Information 118 REFERENCES 120 ANNEXES 148 Annex 1: Sector-based policy recommendations 148 Annex 2A: Selected basic documents of EU sports policy 153 Annex 2B: Selected Commission’s and Parliament’s sports-related research activities 165 Annex 3: Timeline: Milestones in European sports politics and policies 173 Annex 4: Overview of sports policy fields at EU level 176 Annex 5: Delphi study invitation letter and information sheet 177 Annex 6: Delphi study online survey 182 Annex 7: Organigram of the Study project 194 5 IPOL | Policy Department for Structural and Cohesion Policies LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ACES Europe European Capitals and Cities of Sport Federation ASPIRE Activity, Sport and Play for the Inclusion of Refugees in Europe AVMSD Audiovisual Media Services Directive BRICS countries Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa CBI Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries CDDS Committee for the Development of Sport CEDEFOP European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training CEN European Committee for Standardisation CEREPS European Research Council on Physical Education and School Sport CEV Champions League Volleyball CFR Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union CoE The Council of Europe CoR (European) Committee of the Regions COSI Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative CRF COVID-Recovery Fund CRII Corona Response Investment Initiative CRII+ Corona Response Investment Initiative Plus DFL German Football League DG EAC Directorate General for Education and Culture DG EMPL Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion DOSB German Olympic Sports Association DROI European Parliament’s subcommittee on Human Rights DSB German Sports Federation DSM Digital Single Market EACEA Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency EC European Commission ECHA European Chemicals Agency ECF European Cyclist Federation ECHR European Court of Human Rights ECJ European Court of Justice ECOSOC Economic and Social Committee ECRIS European Criminal Records Information System 6 EU sports policy: assessment and possible ways forward EDPB European Data Protection Board EEF European Esport Federation EFCS European Federation of Company Sports EGDF European Games Developer Federation EGLSF European Gay & Lesbian Sport Federation EHF European Handball Federation EHLA European Healthy Lifestyle Alliance EIGE European Institute for Gender Equality EMCA European Multisport Club Association ENGSO European Non-Governmental Sports Organisation ENSE European Network of Sport Education EOA European Organisation of Olympic Academies EOC European Olympic Committees EOSE European Observatoire of Sport and Employment EP European Parliament EPC Energy Performance Certification EPFL Association of European Professional Football Leagues EPSI European Platform for Sport Innovation ERDF European Regional Development Fund and Cohesion Fund ESC European Solidarity Corps ESF+ European Social Fund Plus ESIF European Structural and Investment Funds ESIC Esports Integrity Commission ESL Electronic Sports League ESSD European School Sport Day ESWDA European Sport Workforce Development Alliance ETC European