First Meeting of the Sport Intergroup of the European Parliament

First Meeting of the Sport Intergroup of the European Parliament

On 30 June 2015, the Sport Intergroup of the European Parliament met in Brussels for its first meeting. Officially recognised by the European Parliament, the Intergroup’s aim is to assemble Members of the European Parliament from various political groups and committees to address themes relevant to sport.

After the opening of the meeting by the Intergroup co-president Santiago Fisas Ayxelà, Tibor Navracsics, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, stressed that Europe and sport share the same values such as solidarity and fair competition, highlighting the importance of sport in the modern society for its capacity to build communities and support social inclusion. He subsequently announced the establishment of High Level Groups on Grassroots Sport and on Sports Diplomacy. Moreover, the Commissioner briefly presented the European Week of Sport and revealed the names of additional ambassadors: British long distance runner Paula Radcliffe, Danish tennis player Caroline Wozniacki, Austrian mountaineer Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, Finish javelin thrower Tapio Korjus, Spanish taekwondo practitioner Joel González and Belgian table tennis player Jean-Michel Saive joined Danka Barteková, Marie Bochet, Clarence Seedorf and Steven Gerrard (see article on EWoS in this report). Lastly, Mr Navracsics touched upon the topic of integrity and good governance in sport. He stated that the autonomy of sport has limits, insofar that “nobody should stay above the law”. Furthermore, he mentioned the work of the Expert Group on Good Governance. In the discussion, the Commissioner answered several questions on FIFA regarding the potential of sport in social inclusion or the financing of sport in the Erasmus+ Programme.

Subsequently, Robert Thillens, Commissioner for sport of the Luxembourg Presidency, presented their priorities for the second part of 2015.

Finally, Susanne Hollmann, deputy head of the Sport Unit of the European Commission presented the European Week of Sport (EWoS) by explaining the aim of the EWoS, its different focus days in September and informed about ambassadors and partner organisations.
The meeting was closed by MEP Marc Tarabella, who announced that the next Intergroup meeting will be held on 29 September and will deal with sport and ethics and more specifically with the awarding of major sport events.

Recent Posts

CULT Committee adopts European Sport Model report and votes to increase sport funding for 2026

On 15 July, the European Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) adopted its own-initiative report on the role of EU policies in shaping the European Sport Model (ESM), reaffirming the EU’s commitment to a value-based sport model built on solidarity, inclusiveness, and good governance. The report calls for a long-term EU strategy that strengthens […]

Read More
European Commission unveils EUR 1,98 trillion proposal for next Multiannual Financial Framework

On 16 July, the European Commission presented its proposal for the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028-2034, outlining the EU’s long-term budget priorities. The proposal aims to make the EU more competitive and better prepared for climate and security challenges, featuring a simplified structure with 16 programmes instead of 52. It includes €865 billion in National and […]

Read More
Monthly Report Highlight - Erasmus+ in focus as EU Sport Directors meet in Poland

On 11–12 June, the Polish Council Presidency convened the EU Directors General for Sport in Wroclaw, with the Erasmus+ Sport programme 2021–2027 as one of the central points of discussion. Participants reflected on how the programme supports physical activity and fosters cooperation across the European sport sector, while also acknowledging areas for improvement.  The Erasmus+ […]

Read More

Related Posts

July 18, 2025
CULT Committee adopts European Sport Model report and votes to increase sport funding for 2026

On 15 July, the European Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) adopted its own-initiative report on the role of EU policies in shaping the European Sport Model (ESM), reaffirming the EU’s commitment to a value-based sport model built on solidarity, inclusiveness, and good governance. The report calls for a long-term EU strategy that strengthens […]

July 18, 2025
European Commission unveils EUR 1,98 trillion proposal for next Multiannual Financial Framework

On 16 July, the European Commission presented its proposal for the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028-2034, outlining the EU’s long-term budget priorities. The proposal aims to make the EU more competitive and better prepared for climate and security challenges, featuring a simplified structure with 16 programmes instead of 52. It includes €865 billion in National and […]

July 15, 2025
Monthly Report Highlight - Erasmus+ in focus as EU Sport Directors meet in Poland

On 11–12 June, the Polish Council Presidency convened the EU Directors General for Sport in Wroclaw, with the Erasmus+ Sport programme 2021–2027 as one of the central points of discussion. Participants reflected on how the programme supports physical activity and fosters cooperation across the European sport sector, while also acknowledging areas for improvement.  The Erasmus+ […]

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