Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-09-07-Speech-4-046"
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"en.20000907.1.4-046"2
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"We will organise a large European forum on sport in Lille, where we will once again arrange a dialogue between political circles and the European federations.
This brings me to a final comment, Mr President, one that is important for the future. Do we need an article in a new treaty, or a protocol, in order to make progress in this area? As I have often told you, I am involved in performing high-wire acrobatics right now, without a safety net, and an article could provide the safety net I dream of. At the same time, though, we must keep our feet on the ground. Neither an article nor a protocol could, in themselves, resolve all the problems of sport. There is no miracle cure. First we must consider how useful these references could be and what we want to do. I will tell you my personal views.
I am not in favour of a protocol that would exempt the federations from the major Community principles. That kind of protocol would, moreover, make it quite impossible to take account of the social dimension of sport. I would also be against introducing an article in the Treaty seeking to harmonise sport in Europe. That is not our aim. But as your rapporteurs and many speakers have pointed out, the kind of article you are envisaging, similar to the one on education and culture that fully respected the subsidiarity principle, is, in my view, worth serious consideration.
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Mrs Pack’s 1977 report proposed organising a European Year of Sport. I have listened carefully to your messages today. You keep coming back to that idea, emphasising it, and I quite agree with you. I intend to submit a communication to the Commission on proclaiming the year 2004 the European Year of Sport.
Why 2004? Because, for the first time in this millennium, the Olympic Games will be held in Europe; even more importantly, they will be returning to their birthplace. So, we could not imagine a better opportunity to encourage the practice of sport, to promote its true values, to highlight its ethical principles, to revive the spirit of the Olympic truce. A European Year of Sport would underpin the work done by the Greek authorities, would emphasise the importance Europe attaches to sport and would remind the whole world that sport must bring people together. It would also show that Europe is a real force in terms of fair play, sport for all, and sport for the citizen.
It is with that in mind, ladies and gentlemen, that, like your rapporteurs, Olympic champions that they are, I hope that those men and women who will be making superhuman efforts in Sydney in a few days’ time will all be winners, because true sport, fair play in sport, is not a question of coming first but of surpassing one’s own limitations. Let us, too, surpass ourselves in our endeavours to boost European sport.
The second level is that of the national authorities. Even if the federal organisation of sport is identical throughout Europe, the way it is dealt with administratively varies radically depending on each state or even each region’s cultural and political traditions. Some questions have to be resolved at national level, in line with each state’s national laws and political approach to sport. Here I would also stress the importance of local authorities and councils, who are key players and need to be given a more important role to play. I would also add, in the same vein, that we must accord due respect for the small clubs and their countless voluntary workers who give sport a real civic dimension.
The third level is the Community level, which has to be involved solely in resolving questions that arise in relation to Community legislation and to underpin national measures, such as combating doping.
The Feira European Council asked the Commission to take account of the specific characteristics of sport and of its social dimension. There are nearly 600 000 sports clubs in Europe and 60% of young people who are members of an association belong to a sports club. These are the voters, Mr President, and I would be happy to see those who represent these voters listen to what I have to say, because it concerns them all.
Neither the European Parliament, nor the Commission, nor the Council can ignore the fact that the sports movement represents a real force in society. Can we pursue effective common policies without taking account of the role of the grass-roots sports organisations? I do not think so. And among the aspects I think are of major interest, I believe that the role and quality of physical education in schools come top of the list. We must not disregard the importance of protecting the education and the vocational reintegration of young sportsmen and women and sport is becoming a genuinely important part of the Youth programme.
I agree with you that sport and physical activity form an excellent counterbalance to other activities. And I am convinced that we must make a special effort to protect young athletes more effectively. I know that Mrs Buffet fully shares the Commission’s views and I am also aware of Parliament’s views in this regard. To that end, the Commission has sent the Member States a questionnaire, asking them about methods to protect the health and education of young athletes, and I intend to submit a draft recommendation to the Member States on improving the protection of the education and health of young sportsmen and women.
Lastly, apart from the Youth programmes, other Community programmes, such as those on combating discrimination and gender equality, the disabled and minorities, must also take account of sport, as must the development programmes."@en1
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