Decision No 291/2003/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 February 2003 establishing the European Year of Education through Sport 2004
Date: 2003-02-06
Institutions: Council of the European Union, European Parliament
Subjects: EU action, European cultural event, European symbol, physical education, social role, sport

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(Acts whose publication is obligatory)

DECISION No 291/2003/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

establishing the European Year of Education through Sport 2004

of 6 February 2003

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE
EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Commu-
nity, and in particular Article 149 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and
Social Committee (2),

Having regard to the opinion of
Regions (3),

the Committee of

the

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article
251 of the Treaty (4),

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

Promoting good quality education is one of the objec-
tives of the European Community.

The educational values of sport were acknowledged by
the Nice European Council of 7, 8 and 9 December
2000, thus confirming previous declarations, particularly
Declaration 29 attached to the Amsterdam Treaty in
which sport is defined as something which forges the
identity of people.

The Nice European Council called upon the Community
institutions to take due account of the educational values
of sport in its action under various provisions of the
Treaty, stressing in particular that it is important for
Member States, with the support of the Community, to
encourage voluntary activity.

The Resolution of the Council and of the Ministers for
Youth meeting within the Council of 17 December
1999 on the non-formal
education dimension of
sporting activities in the European Community youth
programmes (5) considers that sporting activities can
have a pedagogical value which contributes to strength-
ening civil society and calls upon the Commission to

(1) OJ C 25 E, 29.1.2002, p. 531.
(2) OJ C 149, 21.6.2002, p. 17.
(3) OJ C 278, 14.11.2002, p. 21.
(4) Opinion of the European Parliament of 14 May 2002 (not yet
published in the Official Journal), Council Common Position of 14
October 2002 (OJ C 275 E, 12.11.2002, p. 70) and Decision of the
European Parliament of 19 December 2002.

(5) OJ C 8, 12.1.2000, p. 5.

devise,
in cooperation with the Member States, a
coherent approach in order to exploit the educational
potential of sport.

In its Resolution on the Commission report on safe-
guarding current sports structures and maintaining the
social
the European Parliament
underlined the educational and social value of sport, as
well as its role in combating racism and xenophobia.

function of sport (6),

In its Resolution of 13 June 1997 on the role of the
European Union in the field of sport (7), the European
Parliament called for the organisation of a European
Year of Sport.

The Committee of the Regions noted in its opinion on
‘The European
the Commission's consultation paper
model of sport’ how important sport is in shaping the
individual.

In its report on sport made to the European Council in
Helsinki, the Commission examined the merits of using
sport in education and youth-related matters given the
values conveyed by sport.

Regular exercise improves psychological and physical
health and can make a positive contribution to the
learning process.

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

The education of young sportsmen and sportswomen
should not suffer as a result of their participation in
competitive sport.

(11)

Education through sport should promote personal iden-
tity and development for girls and boys.

(12)

(13)

Educational and training institutions at all levels should
make fuller use of the opportunities offered by sport for
transnational mobility and cultural exchanges.

The Olympic and other sporting events in 2004 will
heighten media coverage and public awareness of sport.
This is an ideal opportunity to underline the educational
value of sport.

(6) OJ C 135, 7.5.2001, p. 274.
(7) OJ C 200, 30.6.1997, p. 252.

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(14) Action in Member States is the main way in which
public awareness of the educational value of sport can
be raised. However, the Community can support and
reinforce such action through the establishment of a
European Year of Education through Sport.

(15) A European Year of Education through Sport will
complement and reinforce existing Community action to
promote education and training, as well as the social
inclusion of disadvantaged persons.

(16)

(17)

(18)

The European Year of Education through Sport should
be opened up for participation by the EFTA/EEA coun-
tries in accordance with the conditions established under
the European Economic Area Agreement (EEA), and by
the associated central and eastern European countries in
line with the conditions laid down pursuant to their
respective Europe Agreements. For Cyprus, this partici-
pation should be funded by additional appropriations in
accordance with arrangements to be agreed upon, and
for Malta and Turkey by additional appropriations in
accordance with the EC Treaty.

This Decision lays down for the entire duration of the
programme a financial framework constituting the prime
reference, within the meaning of point 33 of the Interin-
stitutional Agreement between the European Parliament,
the Council and the Commission of 6 May 1999 on
budgetary discipline and improvement of the budgetary
procedure (1).

Since the objectives of the proposed action cannot be
sufficiently achieved by the Member States and can
therefore, by reason of their scale, especially for the need
for multilateral partnerships, transnational exchange of
information and Community-wide dissemination of good
practices, be better achieved at Community level, the
Community may adopt measures,
in accordance with
the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the
Treaty. In accordance with the principle of proportion-
ality, as set out in that Article, this Decision does not go
is necessary in order to achieve those
beyond what
objectives.

(19)

The measures necessary for the implementation of this
Decision should be adopted in accordance with Council
Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down
the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers
conferred on the Commission (2),

Article 2

Aims

The aims of the European Year of Education through Sport
shall be as follows:

(a) to make educational

institutions and sports organisations
aware of the need for cooperation in order to develop
education through sport and its European dimension, given
the very great interest that young people take in all kinds
of sport;

(b) to take advantage of the values conveyed through sport to
develop knowledge and skills whereby young people in
particular can develop their physical prowess and readiness
for personal effort and also social abilities such as team-
work, solidarity, tolerance and fair play in a multicultural
framework;

(c) to promote awareness of the positive contribution that
voluntary activities make to non-formal education, espe-
cially of young people;

(d) to promote the educational value of pupil mobility and
exchanges particularly in a multicultural environment
through the organisation of sporting and cultural contacts
as part of school activity;

(e) to encourage the exchange of good practice concerning the
role sport can play in education systems to promote the
social inclusion of disadvantaged groups;

(f) to create a better balance between intellectual and physical
activity in school life by encouraging sport in school activ-
ities;

(g) to consider the problems relating to the education of young
in competitive

sportsmen and sportswomen taking part
sports.

Article 3

Content of the measures

HAVE DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The European Year of Education through Sport

The year 2004 shall be designated ‘European Year of Education
through Sport’.

(1) OJ C 172, 18.6.1999, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23.

1.
The measures taken to attain the objectives set out in
Article 2 shall include the organisation of the following activ-
ities in 2004 or the granting of support for such activities:

(a) meetings, European educational competitions and events
highlighting achievements and experiences on the theme of
the European Year of Education through Sport;

(b) voluntary actions at European level during Olympic and

other sporting events in 2004;

(c) information and promotional campaigns,

including coop-
eration with the media to disseminate the educational
values of sport;

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(d) events promoting the educational value of

sport and

providing examples of good practice;

(e) financial support for transnational, national, regional or
local initiatives to promote the objectives of the European
Year of Education through Sport.

A detailed description of the measures referred to in para-

2.
graph 1 is set out in the Annex hereto.

Article 4

Decisions on co-financing of measures under Article 6
2.
shall be taken by the Commission in accordance with the
procedure provided for in Article 5(2). The Commission shall
ensure a balanced distribution among Member States and
among the different fields of activity involved.

The Commission,

3.
in particular through its national or
regional contact points, shall, in conjunction with the bodies
referred to in Article 4(2), ensure that the calls for proposals
are published in good time and distributed as widely as
possible.

Implementation and cooperation with the Member States

Article 8

1.
The Commission shall be responsible for ensuring that
Community measures adopted pursuant to this Decision are
implemented in accordance with the procedure provided for in
Article 5(2) and in full compliance with the principle of subsi-
diarity.

Each Member State shall designate one or more appro-
2.
priate bodies
to be responsible for participation in the
European Year of Education through Sport and for coordina-
the
tion and implementation at
measures provided for in this Decision, inter alia, by assisting
with the selection procedure referred to in Article 7.

the appropriate level of

Article 5

Committee

1.

The Commission shall be assisted by a Committee.

2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 3 and
7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the
provisions of Article 8 thereof.

3.

The Committee shall adopt its rules of procedure.

Article 6

Financial arrangements

1. Measures which are Community-wide in nature, as
described in part A of the Annex, may be subsidised from the
general budget of the European Union up to a maximum of
80 % of the total cost.

2. Measures of Community interest which are local, regional,
national or transnational in nature, as described in part B of
the Annex, may be co-financed from the general budget of the
European Union up to a maximum of 50 % of the total cost.

Article 7

Application and selection procedure

Consistency and complementarity

1.
The Commission, in cooperation with the Member States,
shall ensure that the measures provided for in this Decision are
consistent with other Community actions and initiatives.

2.
The Commission shall ensure that the European Year of
Education through Sport complements as far as possible other
existing Community, national and regional
initiatives and
resources, where these can contribute to fulfilling the objectives
of the European Year of Education through Sport.

Article 9

Participation by certain third countries

The European Year of Education through Sport shall be open
to participation by:

(a) the EFTA/EEA countries in accordance with the conditions

established under the EEA Agreement;

(b) the associated central and eastern European countries in
accordance with the conditions established pursuant
to
their respective Europe Agreements;

(c) Cyprus, whose participation shall be funded by additional
appropriations in accordance with procedures to be agreed
with that country;

(d) Malta and Turkey, whose participation shall be funded by
additional appropriations in accordance with the provisions
of the Treaty.

Article 10

Budget

The financial framework for the implementation of this

1.
Decision is hereby set at EUR 11,5 million.

The annual appropriations shall be authorised by the
2.
budgetary authority within the limits of the financial perspec-
tive.

Applications

for co-financing of measures

from the
1.
Community budget under Article 6(2) shall be submitted to the
Commission by the body or bodies referred to in Article 4(2).
Applications shall
include information making it possible to
assess the outcomes using objective criteria. The Commission
shall take the utmost account of the evaluation provided by the
bodies concerned.

At

the Commission's initiative,

funding may also be
3.
provided for the period 2004 for expenditure on technical and
administrative assistance for the mutual benefit of the Commis-
sion and the beneficiaries of the measure and falling outside
the realm of ongoing public service tasks, relating to the identi-
fication, preparation, management, follow-up, audit and moni-
toring of the measures.

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Article 11

International cooperation

The Commission may cooperate with the Council of Europe
and other appropriate international organisations
the
purposes of the European Year of Education through Sport, in
accordance with the procedure provided for in Article 5(2).

for

Article 12

Article 13

Entry into force

This Decision shall enter into force on the day following that
of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Monitoring and evaluation

Done at Brussels, 6 February 2003.

The Commission shall submit, by 31 December 2005 at the
latest, a report to the European Parliament, the Council, the
Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the
Regions on the implementation, results and overall assessment
of the measures provided for in this Decision.

For the European Parliament

The President

P. COX

For the Council

The President

P. EFTHYMIOU

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ANNEX

MEASURES REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 3

A. Action at Community level

1. Meetings and events:

(a) organisation of meetings;

(b) organisation of events to raise awareness on education through sport, including conferences to open and close

the European Year of Education through Sport;

(c) voluntary actions during Olympic and other sporting events in 2004.

2. Information and promotional campaigns involving:

(a) the development of a logo and slogans for the European Year of Education through Sport, for use in connec-

tion with any activity linked to it;

(b) an information campaign;

(c) the production of tools and aids accessible to people throughout the Community;

(d) appropriate initiatives by educational institutions and sports organisations aimed at disseminating information

on the European Year of Education through Sport;

(e) the organisation of European educational competitions highlighting achievements and experiences on the

themes of the European Year of Education through Sport.

3. Other actions:

(a) setting-up of an on-line database, using available resources, as a means of disseminating good practice across
Member States for the use of sport as a tool for education and, in particular, for promoting the social integra-
tion of disadvantaged groups;

(b) surveys and studies that assess the impact of the European Year of Education through Sport.

4. Funding may take the form of:

(a) direct purchase of goods and services, in particular in the field of communication, surveys and studies as

referred to in point 3(b) above, via open and/or restricted calls for tenders;

(b) subsidies allocated to cover the expenses of special events to highlight and raise awareness of the European

Year of Education through Sport; such funding shall not exceed 80 % of the total cost.

B. Action at national level

Depending on the nature and content proposed, local, regional, national or transnational actions may qualify for aid
from the Community covering up to a maximum of 50 % of the total cost. These actions may, for instance, include:

1. events connected with the objectives of the European Year of Education through Sport, including an event to

launch the year;

2.

information campaigns and measures to disseminate examples of good practice, other than those mentioned in
part A above;

3. the organisation of awards or competitions that highlight the importance of education through sport;

4. surveys and studies other than those mentioned in part A above.

C. Action for which no Community financial aid is available

The Community will offer its moral support, including written authorisation to use the logo and other materials asso-
ciated with the European Year of Education through Sport, for initiatives undertaken by public or private organisa-
tions, where those organisations can satisfy the Commission that the initiatives involved are or will be in progress
during the year 2004 and are likely to contribute significantly to achieving one or more of the objectives of the
European Year of Education through Sport.