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REPORT (2025/2035(INI))

On the role of EU policies in shaping the European Sport Model

A-10-2025-0157

Committee on Culture and Education · Rapporteur: Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski

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This resolution outlines Parliament's vision for the European Sport Model, calling for EU action to protect its values, strengthen solidarity, improve governance, and address challenges like financial crime, doping, and online piracy. It urges the Commission to propose legislation against online piracy of live sports, present a long-term sport strategy, and issue guidelines on EU law's application to sport. It calls for increased funding for sport, especially under Erasmus+, and for measures to support volunteers, athletes' rights, and inclusive governance.

Committee position. The Committee on Culture and Education proposes a resolution calling for EU action to strengthen the European Sport Model, with specific recommendations on solidarity, governance, and protection against threats.

Key points

  1. Reiterates commitment to the European Sport Model, where sport serves societal objectives and contributes to EU policy areas.
  2. Calls for safe, inclusive, and equitable sport, with focus on gender equality, combating violence and discrimination, and accessibility for persons with disabilities.
  3. Stresses the importance of physical activity for all ages, especially children, and calls for investment in school sport infrastructure and programmes.
  4. Calls on the Commission to develop recommendations with Member States to support and incentivise volunteering in sport.
  5. Calls for stronger financial solidarity mechanisms between professional and grassroots sport, and for a study mapping existing mechanisms.
  6. Calls for increased funding for sport under Erasmus+ and other EU funds, with focus on grassroots and infrastructure in disadvantaged areas.
  7. Urges Member States to ensure merit-based hosting of major sports events and to uphold human rights and democratic values.
  8. Calls for action against match-fixing, doping, and online piracy, including a proposal for targeted legislation on live content piracy.
  9. Calls for high governance standards, stakeholder representation, and social dialogue in sport, including a possible EU Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee for Professional Sport.
  10. Calls for protection of athletes' fundamental rights, including social rights, and support for dual careers and mental health.
  11. Calls for protection of the vertical nature of the European Sport Model, with promotion/relegation and merit-based qualification for European competitions.
  12. Calls on the Commission to present a long-term strategy on sport and physical activity policy and to provide guidelines on EU law application to sport.

Who is affected

  • Sports governing bodies: urged to implement governance, equality, and solidarity measures.
  • Athletes: their rights and well-being are to be protected, including release for national teams.
  • Grassroots sports organisations: to benefit from increased funding and solidarity mechanisms.
  • Sports event organisers: affected by calls to combat online piracy and dynamic ticket pricing.
  • Member States: urged to ratify the Macolin Convention and support sport policies.

Figures and deadlines

  • 2.12% of EU GDP contributed by sport, providing jobs to nearly six million people.

Legal basis: Articles 6 and 165 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union