An online public consultation was launched on 8 April to complement a consultation process the EU executive is already carrying out with governmental and non-governmental stakeholders on the matter.
The online questionnaire seeks the public's views on "the main challenges or problems that currently have an impact on sport in Europe" as well as on the objectives and actions the EU should focus on.
Questions range from sport's social and educational role to volunteering and governance. The themes covered also include the physical and moral integrity of sportspeople as well as fairness and openness of sports competitions.
More specific questions seek to find out Europeans' attitudes towards the role of media and sponsors in sports competitions, doping, equal opportunities for men and women and funding of grassroots sport, for example.
The consultation is open until 1 June and will contribute to ongoing preparations of the future EU sports programme and policy.
The EU executive is set to table a policy paper on the Lisbon Treaty's impact on sport this summer. It will table proposals for implementing the new competence, including the establishment of a framework for political cooperation (EurActiv 30/11/09).
A draft decision on the EU's sports programme and budget is also expected to be presented this summer.
