EU leaders gathered in Brussels for their summit last week struck a final deal allowing for the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, Article 165 of which is set to give the EU soft powers on sports policy (EurActiv 30/10/09).
The Lisbon Treaty is now expected to enter into force in early 2010. This sets the scene for intensive dialogue and European Commission consultations of member states and stakeholders regarding the implementation of its sport provisions during the first half of 2010.
The second EU sports forum, which takes place in Madrid on 19-20 May, and a European Parliament hearing in spring 2010 should further contribute to shaping the EU's future action in the field.
Communication on sport
Consultations are leading the way for the adoption of political documents as a follow-up to the July 2007 EU White Paper on Sport.
The EU executive plans to publish a communication on the impact of the Lisbon Treaty on sport - the first-ever Commission communication on sport - and a draft decision regarding the EU's sports programme and budget in mid-2010.
The Commission stresses that the 2007 White Paper will remain the cornerstone of its actions, and the upcoming communication will study areas not yet covered by the paper but now allowed under Article 165.
New areas of interest could include intellectual property protection, match-fixing and international cooperation.
New political structures
A new EU commissioner in charge of sport, education and culture should take office in January-February next year, and the Commission's sport unit is expected to increase in size.
The next meeting of EU sport directors in Barcelona on 26-27 February will discuss the re-organisation of different Council working groups in order to prepare for official Sports Council meetings.
The first meeting of the new Council working party on sport is currently scheduled for May 2010, allowing for real day-to-day Council work to start in June-July.
No changes are expected to the European Parliament's working procedures, and the House's Education and Culture Committee should continue to cover sport-related issues.
Meanwhile, preparatory actions in the field of sport will continue to pave the way in 2010-211 for the first EU sports programme in 2012.
