On 5 September, the European Commission adopted its annual work programme for the implementation of Erasmus+. The document provides detailed information on the objectives, eligibility and award criteria of the different kinds of projects that can be financed under Erasmus+. The annual work programme for Erasmus+ is covering all actions, including the sport chapter.
For 2017, 39,246,400 EUR will be dedicated to the sport chapter under Erasmus+. With 5 Mio EUR of this total amount dedicated to Small Collaborative Partnerships, the Commission reiterated its willingness to give direct support to grassroots sports actors.
In addition, 22,841,400 EUR will be dedicated to the regular Collaborative Partnerships with 5.3 Mio EUR of this amount allocated to finance activities in the framework of the European Week of Sport 2017. The call for projects related to the European Week of Sport, which in 2015 and 2016 was handled separately, would be fully included in the general call of Erasmus+ Sport. And finally, 4 Mio EUR has been budgeted to finance non-for-profit European sport events.
While the eligibility and award criteria remain similar, the priorities regarding the Collaborative Partnerships are the following:
• 25% of the budget for projects supporting participation in sport and physical activity including the European Week of Sport;
• 25% of the budget for projects supporting education in and through sport, with special focus on skills development, as well as implementation of the EU Guidelines on Dual Careers of Athletes and projects supporting voluntary activity in sport;
• 25% of the budget for projects supporting the integrity of sport such as anti-doping, fight against match-fixing and good governance in sport;
• 25% of the budget for projects aiming at combatting violence, racism, discrimination and intolerance in sport, projects aiming at encouraging social inclusion and equal opportunities in sport.
Similar to previous years, the work programme 2017 also foresees specific cooperation agreements with two international organisations “with highly recognised expertise that will strengthen the impact of sport initiatives at European level”. The Commission will support initiatives of the Council of Europe in the field of Gender equality as well as the fight against violence in sport while the EU will also join forces with World Health Organisation for tackling the pandemic of physical inactivity in Europe”.
Finally, the Commission announced the creation of a European Award for social inclusion in sport, with the organisation of a first event in the first half of 2017.
FURTHER INFORMATION
2017 annual work programme for the implementation of 'Erasmus+': the Union Programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport