Doc. 11003
5 July 2006

On the future of sports co-operation in the Council of Europe

Written question No. 500 to the Committee of Ministers
presented by Mrs Dromberg and Mr Elo

At its Warsaw Summit Conference in 2005, the Council of Europe decided to concentrate on Europe’s human rights policy, democracy, and the development of the state, as ruled by law, in Europe. The budgetary situation of the Council of Europe is at present extremely tight and proposals have been made to come out of this situation.

It has been proposed that sport sector operations would be separated from the Organisation’s operations as such and be transformed into an activity based on a Partial Agreement funded by Member States. It is in accordance with the Council of Europe’s regulations that those countries, too, that will not be part of funding the Partial Agreement will participate in the meetings of ministers.

Co-operation in sport is a sector in which the Council of Europe has clear added value. In the co-ordination of joint sport-policy decisions, the Committee for the Development of Sport (CDDS) and meetings of European Ministers responsible for sport constitute the only competent intergovernmental structure for sport-policy co-operation. The European Union, for example, does not have sector-specific competence in the area of sport. However, the Council of Europe is the only pan-European organisation which effectively, at both inter-governmental and parliamentary level, deals with anti-doping, one of the major challenges of sports today.

Furthermore, sport has a broad interface with European citizens’ organisations. In our opinion, sport is a good means of dialogue with civic society. Through sport, we can promote the development of European human rights and democracy.

To ask the Committee of Ministers:

How will the Committee of Ministers ensure that sports co-operation on the pan-European level will be ensured in the future, and that sufficient financial means and resources will be allocated to this co-operation.

Signed ¹:

DROMBERG, Kaarina, Finland, EPP/CD

ELO, Mikko, Finland, SOC

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      ALDE: Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group