Europe aiming to play a key role in political football
I have always felt that the political value of sport has been underestimated and consequently, under-funded.
However, it came as a surprise to me to learn that the European Union has no ‘competence’ for sport.
‘Competence’ in EU terms basically means authority or responsibility. This of course, was a glaring omission historically but all this could change, that is, if the Lisbon Treaty passes.
Under the Nice Treaty, sport doesn’t feature. It merely talks about ‘Education, Vocational Training and Youth’ but under the Lisbon Treaty ‘Sport’ has been added – giving the EU competence for “Education, Vocational Training, Youth and Sport” and it elaborates with the following: “The Union shall contribute to the promotion of European sporting issues, while taking account of the specific nature of sport, its structures based on voluntary activity and its social and educational function”.
The title word “shall” is of great importance. Apart from the fact that it was a favourite word of Maggie Thatcher when she was laying down the law, the word itself, suggests action. Not “may” or “might” or “could” or “should”. It’s “shall” – something will happen.
The “shall contribute” is elaborated on by stating that the EU “shall” help in “developing the European dimension in sport by promoting co-operation between bodies responsible for sports, and by protecting the physical and moral integrity of sportsmen and women, especially the youngest sportsman and sportswomen.”
Weren’t the GAA wise to move on the burnout issue hurting young players in recent years! Under the terms of the said article, the Lisbon Treaty adds that in order to contribute to the achievement of its sporting objectives, the European Parliament and Council “shall adopt incentive measures”.
These “incentive measures” aren’t spelt out and when at a meeting of the relevant committee on Wednesday last I made enquiries as to what budgetary measures would be put in place, I was told by the chairperson that the budget for the coming term was already decided. Unfortunately, that was logical as the EU can only operate under the Nice Treaty presently and so any measures involving a greater competence for sport obviously can’t come into being, until, if the said Lisbon Treaty is passed and fully implemented.
However, a white paper on sport published in 2007 goes into much greater detail on how the EU sees sports evolving and how it should be supported into the future.
One of the points I liked about the white paper reflected the first thing I said when I spoke at a committee meeting in Brussels a few weeks ago. I said that one of the reasons that the EU was often detached from ordinary citizens was that it had little or no involvement in what I termed the “universal language” of sport.
It was pleasing to see that point reflected in the white paper on sport where it stated: “The Commission acknowledges the essential role of sport, in particular when it needs to bring itself closer to citizens and to tackle issues that matter directly to them”.
Exactly, as all sports fans only know too well!! And it further admits that “this initiative marks the first time that the commission is addressing sport-related issues. It’s overall objective is to give strategic orientation on the role of sport in Europe, to encourage debate, to enhance the visibility of sport in EU policy making and to raise public awareness of the needs and specificity of the sector.”
On it goes from there refereeing to the social, cultural, educational functions “inherent in sport and making it special”. It goes on then to state all the different possibilities for recognising and supporting these various “specificities”. One of these speaks of the burden on “health budgets and the economy” that lack of physical activity and its consequence ailments causes. The reverse side of this is that all sports are helping to reduce that burden by their contribution to physical activity and fitness. It will be partly from that premise as well as its social, cultural and educational value that I will be arguing and suggesting various ways to support sport – that is if Lisbon is passed and the EU has competence for sport for the first time.
