The EOC EU Office is delighted to announce that the European Parliament, during the plenary session 8-11 February 2021, adopted a motion for a resolution on the impact of COVID-19 on youth and on sport by 592 votes in favour, 42 against and 57 abstentions.

MEPs highlighted the devastating consequences of the pandemic on the sports sector at all levels. They showed concern about the possible lasting damage in economic and employment terms, but also for society more generally.

Recognising the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on young people and the sports sector, it is considered particularly important for the Commission and Member States to work together to strengthen the recovery and crisis resilience of the sports sector.

This means, as per the resolution, ensuring that national support funds, structural funds, and national recovery and resilience plans benefit the sports sector despite its specific characteristics and organisational structures. It was also stressed that the European sport model should be preserved and promoted.

A number of specific EU programmes were referred to including the Erasmus+ programme and the European Solidarity Corps, and to which it was said that there should be full access: the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the European Regional Development Fund, the Cohesion Fund, the European Social Fund Plus and EU4Health.

The Commission is now called to examine the possibility of delivering additional targeted support for the sector. As for the Council, it is urged to address recovery within the EU Work Plan for Sport.

Overall, the EOC EU Office closely cooperated with the CULT Committee and is pleased to see that a important number of topics raised to MEPs have been taken on board.