The Bulgarian Presidency Programme and its impact on Sport

The Bulgarian Presidency Programme and its impact on Sport

The end of 2017 also marked the end of the Estonian Presidency. Since 1 January 2018 up until 30 June, it is Bulgaria that will chair the European Council meetings and set its agenda.

In the programme published on the Presidency website, Bulgaria presented its priorities for the upcoming semester. Four topics will be at the centre of the attention.

  1. The future of Europe and young people – Economic growth and social cohesion;
  2. European perspective and connectivity of the Western Balkans;
  3. Security and stability in a strong and united Europe;
  4. Digital economy and skills needed for the future.

With regard to sport policy, the Presidency will work towards promoting European values through sport (Council Conclusions will be delivered on this issue). The focus will also be set on the fight against doping. In this regard, a conference will be organised on the “Prevention of Doping in Professional Sport and Sport for Everyone through Education and Investigation”. Finally, the concept of sport for all will be used for social integration and as a “bridge between tradition and innovation”.

Looking at other policy fields, the following initiatives of the Presidency could be relevant for sport:

·         The Bulgarian Presidency will continue the debate on the next Multiannual Financial Framework, as well as the future Cohesion and Agricultural Policy;

·         The Bulgarian Presidency’s goal will be to support all countries from the Western Balkans in their efforts to move forward on their European path, provided that this process is based on the principles of individual merit, established criteria and necessary reforms;

·         The Presidency aims to conclude an Inter-Institutional Agreement (IIA) on the Transparency Register, affecting sport organisations getting in contact with EU Institutions.

·         Bulgarian Presidency intends to strengthen democracy, stability, prosperity and sustainability of the countries in the European Neighbourhood;

·         Bulgarian Presidency will make efforts to achieve significant progress on the introduction of the definitive Value Added Tax (VAT) system, which could have an effect on current tax exemptions for sport activities;

·         The Presidency aims to reach agreement in the Council on the proposal to amend the Visa Code as well as to conclude negotiations on the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which could have effects on sports people travelling to the Schengen area;

·         The Bulgarian Presidency will work constructively on the Directive for Copyright in the Digital Single Market and the Regulation on Copyright in online transmission and retransmission, which could have an effect on sports broadcasts;

·         The leading priority of the Bulgarian Presidency in the education sector is the preparation of the next generation of the EU Programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport (Erasmus+);

·         It will work towards a general agreement in the Council on the proposal for a Council Recommendation regarding the promotion of social inclusion and shared values through formal and informal education and training;

·         It will focus efforts on successfully concluding negotiations with the European Parliament on the legal framework of the European Solidarity Corps:

·         It will also organise a debate on the role of young people as a driving force for the sustainable development and equality in Europe of the future.

Further information

The 4 Priorities of the Bulgarian Presidency

Programme of Bulgaria for the EU Presidency

Recent Posts

10 years of #BeActive celebrated at European Week of Sport opening in Copenhagen

September marked the 10th anniversary of the European Week of Sport and its #BeActive campaign, inspiring over 353,000 events and 103 million participants across 42 countries. At the opening in Copenhagen, Commissioner Glenn Micallef urged Europeans to “scroll less and move more” and called for more Erasmus+ opportunities for sport organisations to tackle inactivity. The […]

Read More
Panel discussion by MEP Carberry demonstrates the necessity of EU funding for local sport initiatives

Marking the European Week of Sport, MEP Nina Carberry (EPP, Ireland) hosted a debate on how to address barriers to physical activity on 23 September. With nearly half of European adults not engaging in regular exercise, the discussion underlined the urgent need for stronger EU action. Giorgio Guazzugli Marini, Head of the European Commission’s Sport […]

Read More
Sport organisations active for sustainability called to sign Green Sport Manifesto

The Green Sport Manifesto was officially launched on 11 September. Developed by the Green Sport Community of Practice of the European Commission’s “SHARE 2.0 Initiative”, this document aims to help sport organisations highlight their commitment to sustainability and foster a community of engaged sports actors. The Manifesto encourages sport organisations to establish sustainability governance structures, create strategies […]

Read More

Related Posts

September 26, 2025
10 years of #BeActive celebrated at European Week of Sport opening in Copenhagen

September marked the 10th anniversary of the European Week of Sport and its #BeActive campaign, inspiring over 353,000 events and 103 million participants across 42 countries. At the opening in Copenhagen, Commissioner Glenn Micallef urged Europeans to “scroll less and move more” and called for more Erasmus+ opportunities for sport organisations to tackle inactivity. The […]

September 26, 2025
Panel discussion by MEP Carberry demonstrates the necessity of EU funding for local sport initiatives

Marking the European Week of Sport, MEP Nina Carberry (EPP, Ireland) hosted a debate on how to address barriers to physical activity on 23 September. With nearly half of European adults not engaging in regular exercise, the discussion underlined the urgent need for stronger EU action. Giorgio Guazzugli Marini, Head of the European Commission’s Sport […]

September 19, 2025
Sport organisations active for sustainability called to sign Green Sport Manifesto

The Green Sport Manifesto was officially launched on 11 September. Developed by the Green Sport Community of Practice of the European Commission’s “SHARE 2.0 Initiative”, this document aims to help sport organisations highlight their commitment to sustainability and foster a community of engaged sports actors. The Manifesto encourages sport organisations to establish sustainability governance structures, create strategies […]

About us

The EOC EU Office is the House of European Sport, representing the European Olympic Committees (EOC), the IOC and other major sport organisations to the European institutions in Brussels.
CONTACT
crossmenu linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram