EUSA Magazine 2019-20

EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY SPORTS ASSOCIATION YEAR MAGAZINE 2019-20^88

6. EU INITIATIVES

EU SPORT FORUM

Organised on an annual basis, the European Union Sport Forum brings together

a number of key sport stakeholders from across the continent to serve as a

platform for dialogue with the European Commission, giving participants a

unique opportunity to exchange and discuss views with policy makers of the

EU institutions and Member States while tackling a wide range of topics.

In collaboration with the
Romanian presidency, the
European Commission hosted
the 2019 European Sport Forum
on April 8 and 9 in Romania’s
capital city, Bucharest.

Over 350 participants attended
the two-day Forum, with EUSA
represented by President Mr
Adam Roczek and Secretary
General Mr Matjaz Pecovnik.

The Forum commenced with an
introductory welcome session
by Mayor of Bucharest Ms
Gabriela Firea; Ms Antoaneta
Angelova-Krasteva, Director
for Innovation, International
Cooperation and Sport, DG EAC,
European Commission; Member
of the European Parliament
Mr Santiago Fisas and Mr

Mihai Covaliu, President of the

Romanian Olympic and Sports

Committee.

Several different discussions

were held throughout the

course of the first day, including

plenary sessions on doping

in sport, the role of sport

federations in the promotion of

European sport and whether

Europe can still attract major

sports events. There was also

a presentation on empowering

girls through sport, as well as

parallel sessions on the rights

and interests of athletes and

schools’ contribution to the

promotion of healthy lifestyles.

The second day of the Forum

kicked off with back-to-back

parallel sessions discussing the

protection of sport rights in the

EU, how grassroots sport should

be financed and justice in sport

and challenges of less popular

sports, before a plenary session

on how Europeans will engage

in sport in the future, followed

by concluding remarks, officially

closed the Forum.

The Forum presented the

perfect opportunity for EUSA

to network, strengthen

partnerships with established

partners, as well as create

contacts with potential new

partners.

Mr Roczek and Mr Pecovnik

also made use of the occasion

to meet with presidents and

representatives of various

partner organisations such

as the European Olympic

Committees, European

Paralympic Committee,

European Handball Federation,

European Table Tennis Union,

Badminton Europe, European

Non-Governmental Sports

Organisation (ENGSO) and

European Athlete as Student

(EAS) – the Dual Career

Network.

EUSA was particularly pleased

to see that the Forum was also

attended by several university

sport family members and

representatives, which can only

serve to grow university sport in

Europe and beyond.

PLEASE SEE

ec.europa.eu/sport/

forum-2019_en

for more information