Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - The EU action in the field of Education through Sport : building on EYES 2004 achievements {SEC(2005)1741}
Date: 2005-12-22
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU action, European symbol, physical education, promotion of the European idea, social role, sport

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 22.12.2005 
COM(2005) 680 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

The EU action in the field of Education through Sport: building on EYES 2004 
achievements 

{SEC(2005)1741} 

EN 

   EN 

 
 
 
  
 
 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

The EU action in the field of Education through Sport: building on EYES 2004 
achievements 

“Orandum est ut sit mens sana in corpore sano1” 
(Decimus Iunius Iuvenalis, 1st century AD) 

“Move your body, stretch your mind” 
(EYES 2004 motto) 

1. 

INTRODUCTION 

This  Communication  is  the  response  to  the  request  from  the  European  Parliament  and  the 
Council  on  the  Commission  to  report  on  the  measures  taken  during  the  European  Year  of 
Education through Sport 2004 (EYES 2004) under Article 12 of the Decision2 establishing the 
Year. 

The  Communication  presents  the  Year’s  main  achievements  together  with  proposals  for 
follow-up  in  the  field  of  education  through  sport.  The  Commission  Staff  Working  Paper 
attached  to  the  Communication  outlines  the  actions  and  activities  implemented  as  part  of 
EYES  2004.  The  Commission’s  reports  and  proposals  are  based  on  an  independent 
evaluation3. 

EYES  2004  was  launched  to  increase  awareness  on  the  potential  of  sport  as  a  tool  for 
education  and  social  inclusion.  It  has  spread  a  message:  in  our  multicultural  societies  sport 
can and must become a tool to be used in formal and non-formal learning. 

Educational institutions, sporting organisations and public bodies worked together during the 
Year so that values like fair play, tolerance, teamwork, and respect for the rules and for one’s 
opponent are transmitted via sporting activities to our citizens, in particular the young. 

The  expectations  raised  by  the  initiative  among  European  civil  society,  the  tangible  results 
recorded  during  the  Year  and  its  positive  impact  (part  2)  deserve  proper  political  follow-up 
(part 3). 

1 
2 
3 

"You should pray for a healthy mind in a healthy body" 
Decision No 291/2003/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 43, 18.2.2003, p. 1) 
Evaluation report by Eureval-C3E:   
http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/sport/action_sports/aees/aees_en.html#Evaluation 

EN 

2 

   EN 

 
                                                 
2. 

IMPLEMENTATION AND MAIN RESULTS OF EYES 2004 

2.1. 

Objectives and outputs  

The  wider  aim  of  the  Year  was  to  promote  education  through  sport  in  formal  and 
non-formal  education  and  as  a  vehicle  for  social  inclusion  in  order  to  develop 
knowledge  and  skills  by  encouraging  cooperation  between  educational  institutions 
and sport organisations. 

The  more  specific  objectives  of  the  Year  included  promoting  voluntary  activities, 
pupil  mobility  and  exchanges  through  sport  activities,  the  social  inclusion  of 
disadvantaged  groups  and  the  creation  of  a  better  balance  between  intellectual  and 
physical activity in school life. 

To  this  end,  information  and  communication  activities,  numerous  projects  and 
initiatives were carried out. The main results are: 

–  Involvement  of  the  25  Member  States  and  the  3  EFTA/EEA  countries:  Iceland, 

Lichtenstein and Norway; 

–  167 projects co-financed, out of 1643 applications; 

–  66  projects  in  the  field  of  formal  education:  22  on  integration  of  sport  in  the 
school  life,  21  promoting  the  educational  value  of  mobility  and  exchanges,  17 
using  of  sport  to  promote  a  healthier  lifestyle  and  6  on  the  education  of  young 
athletes taking part in competitive sports; 

–  In the field of non-formal learning, 60 projects using sport values in activities for 
young  (47  projects)  and  adults  (13  projects),  25  using  sport  to  integrate  socially 
disadvantaged  groups,  12  on  disability  and  4  on  non-formal  learning  through 
voluntary activities; 

–  30 ceremonies (opening and closing EYES); 

–  representation at 12 international events such as Euro 2004 and the Olympic and 

Paralympic Games;  

–  2 Eurobarometers. 

The  actions  targeted  political  decision  makers,  teachers,  pupils  and  students, 
managers of sports organisations, young people and deprived social groups. 

2.2. 

Implementation 

2.2.1.  Cooperation with stakeholders 

The  success  of  the  initiative  was  dependent  on  smooth  and  continuous  cooperation 
with the Member States and European civil society. The broad consensus reached on 
adopting the decision establishing the Year was borne out by the active participation 
and involvement of all stakeholders in its implementation. 

EN 

3 

   EN 

 
Cooperation  with  the  participating  countries  was  channelled  through  the  Advisory 
Committee in which most of them were represented by delegates from Education and 
Sport  departments.  This  has  become  the  first  stable  European  network  of  public 
authorities responsible for education and sport, allowing rich interaction not only at 
European  but  also  at  national  level.  This  cooperation  was  complemented  by  the 
network  of  National  Coordinating  Bodies  designated  by  the  Member  States  with 
responsibility  for  the  technical  coordination  and  implementation  of  the  initiative 
nationally. 

The active involvement of European civil society, in particular the Sport Movement, 
was decisive for the attainment of the objectives of the Year. 

The  EU  institutions  were  actively  involved  in  the  Year.  The  European  Parliament 
participated in a series of events and activities during EYES 2004 such as the special 
EYES day at the Paralympic Games in Athens. The European Economic and Social 
Committee and the Committee of the Regions placed the issue of sport high on their 
agendas during 2004 and organised various events which contributed to the visibility 
of the initiative. 

During the Year, the Commission cooperated with the Council of Europe, notably by 
co-financing a project in the field of education on democratic citizenship in Europe. 
As  part  of  the  preparations  for  the  International  Year  for  Sport  and  Physical 
Education in 2005, a fruitful dialogue was established with UNESCO with a view to 
continuing activities in 2005. 

2.2.2.  Coherence and complementarity 

The  synergy  between  the  EYES  2004  and  the  national  and  local  policies  for 
education  through  sport  has  been  unanimously  recognised  by  the  actors  involved. 
The Year provided an opportunity for cooperation and networking among the players 
which  would  not  have  existed  without  Community  action.  It  also  allowed  the 
exchange of good practice and had a useful leverage effect in different ways: 

–  Participating countries matched the amount of the EU budget available for EYES 
2004 projects in order to finance projects which had not been selected because of 
budgetary constraints. 

–  Pilot  actions  intended  to  promote  a  better  balance  between  intellectual  and 
physical  activity  in  school  life  were  launched  by  participating  countries  (e.g.  a 
competition to reward the “most sport minded schools” in 8 Member States). 

–  Different  levels  of  government  (national,  regional  and  local)  were  strongly 
mobilised to set up actions and programmes to promote education through sport. 
Even  in  non-participating  countries,  like  Romania,  a  national  programme  of 
initiatives was set up to meet the objectives of EYES 2004. 

–  A  vast  number  of  initiatives  undertaken  by  public  or  private  organisations 
received the EU moral support, including authorisation to use the EYES logo. 

EN 

4 

   EN 

 
–  The  EYES  achieved  synergies  with  the  SOCRATES  and  YOUTH  programmes 
and with anti-tobacco and anti-discrimination campaigns (e.g. 603 projects using 
sport were co-financed through the YOUTH programme during 2004). 

–  Four  studies  were  commissioned  to  increase  knowledge  on  different  aspects  of 

education through sport4.. 

Thus  the  Year  can  be  considered  a  coherent  initiative  both  internally  (between  the 
various measures and actions taken under EYES 2004) and externally (synergy with 
other  national  or  European  policies).  This  was  particularly  noteworthy  as  regards 
coherence with national and local policies for education through sport. 

2.3. 

Impact assessment 

The high number of applications received in the framework of the call for proposals 
confirmed  the  huge  expectations  and  demand  in  European  society  for  concrete 
initiatives in the field of education through sport. 

The Year mobilised thousands of organisations in Europe by fostering projects. It has 
created  and  developed  lasting  networks  and  often  new  partnerships  between 
education  and  sport.  EYES  2004  provided  numerous  examples  of  good  practices 
which go beyond its networking achievements. 

Its main impacts have been: 

–  a significant contribution to disseminating the educational values of sport, 

–  the  fostering  and  increasing  recognition  of  activities  in  the  field  of  education 

through sport, 

–  a contribution to changing the attitudes of the European public in this area. 

The Commission's message has spread among expert circles in the field of education 
through sport and the ideas promoted by EYES 2004 have visibly been adopted by 
politicians,  sports  and  educational  managers,  and  academics.  The  details  of  the 
projects carried out were widely disseminated in Europe on CD-ROM. Nevertheless, 
several  innovative  actions  deserve  to  be  taken  up  more  widely,  not  only  among 
stakeholders (via the Internet, meetings, etc.) but also via additional political action. 

The educational institutions and sport organisations that participated in the Year say 
it  met  their  expectations.  The  initiative  can  therefore  be  said  to  have  achieved  its 
objectives. 

However, its effects seem to have been more limited in other ways, for example in 
promoting  sport  as  a  vehicle  for  social  inclusion  of  disadvantaged  groups, 
encouraging a better balance between intellectual and physical activity in school life, 
and  highlighting  the  positive  contribution  made  by  voluntary  work  and  student 
mobility.  Projects  were  indeed  carried  out  in  these  fields,  and  some  were  truly 
innovative, but it cannot yet be said that they have had a sufficient effect. 

4 

http://europa.eu.int/comm/sport/whatsup/index_en.html 

EN 

5 

   EN 

 
                                                 
Attitudes  have  changed  concerning  the  need  for  better  integration  of  sport  in 
education,  both  formal  and  non-formal,  and  hence  for  networking  and  better 
cooperation  between  educational  institutions  and  sport  organisations.  However,  it 
cannot  be  taken  for  granted  that  these  precepts  will  be  put  into  practice.  Further 
political support is required. 

3. 

A NEED TO PURSUE THE ACTION IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION THROUGH SPORT 

The educational values of sport were acknowledged by the Nice European Council5, 
which  asked  the  Community  institutions  to  take  due  account  of  the  educational 
values  of  sport  in  their  actions  under  various  provisions  of  the  Treaty,  since,  as 
acknowledged  in  Declaration  29  attached  to  the  Amsterdam  Treaty,  sport  forges 
people’s identity. In the Nice declaration the European Council underlined that “even 
though not having any direct powers in this area, the Community must, in its action 
under  the  various  Treaty  provisions,  take  account  of  the  social,  educational  and 
cultural functions inherent in sport." 

The  Council,  in  its  Resolution  of  17  December  19996  on  the  non-formal  education 
dimension  of  sporting  activities  in  the  European  Community  YOUTH  programme, 
called  upon  the  Commission,  in  cooperation  with  the  Member  States,  to  devise  a 
coherent approach in order to exploit the educational potential of sport, considering 
that  sporting  activities  can  have  a  pedagogical  value  which  contributes  to 
strengthening civil society. This non-formal education dimension has been backed by 
the European Parliament, which underlined the educational and social value of sport 
as well as its role in combating racism and xenophobia7. 

EYES  2004  provided  a  response  to  both  the  Declaration  and  the  Resolution.  The 
positive reaction of European citizens and institutions to EYES 2004 has highlighted 
the need to reinforce the links and the cooperation between the world of sport and the 
world of formal and non-formal education as a means to better equip EU citizens for 
the new challenges faced by our increasingly mobile and diverse societies (in 2004 
82% of the citizens were in favour of accentuating the role of sport in education and 
63  %  supported  the  idea  of  strengthening  cooperation  between  the  EU,  sport 
organisations and national governments8). 

3.1. 

Expectations in formal education 

Research  has  shown  that  regular  exercise  improves  mental  and  physical  health  and 
its  positive  contribution  to  the  learning  process  is  nowadays  accepted.  Formal 
education  could  take  better  advantage  of  the  values  conveyed  through  sport  to 
develop  knowledge,  motivation,  skills,  readiness  for  personal  effort  and  also  social 
abilities such as teamwork, solidarity, tolerance, fair play and learning to lose, in a 
multicultural  framework.  Therefore  sport  is  essential  in  formal  education  for  the 

5 
6 
7 
8 

Declaration IV annexed to the Presidency conclusions. European Council of 7-9.12.2000 
OJ C 8, 12.1.2000, p. 5 
OJ C 135, 7.5.2001, p.274 
Answers  to  the  Special  EUROBAROMETRE  213  “Citizens  of  the  European  Union  and  sport”. 
December 2004 

EN 

6 

   EN 

 
                                                 
acquirement and development of key competences9 that everyone needs for personal 
fulfilment, social inclusion and employability. 

On the other hand, formal education has a crucial role to play in encouraging habits 
leading  to  regular  physical  activity  and  in  countering  unhealthy  lifestyle  habits, 
which is essential as the health of our citizens appears to be declining because of a 
lack  of  physical  exercise.  Furthermore,  formal  education  contributes  to  improving 
the qualifications of those who work in sport-related professions and to a better and 
safer  sport  environment.  This  is  closely  related  to  the  ongoing  development  of 
qualifications and competences by the sport sector at the European level (much of it 
through  non-formal  learning)  which  will  be  supported  by  the  common  reference 
levels provided by the future European Qualifications Framework10. 

Education and sport therefore face common challenges and both worlds can provide 
appropriate responses for European citizens if a proper cross-fertilisation process is 
initiated. 

EYES  2004  has  contributed  to  raising  the  expectations  of  European  citizens  on 
actions  aimed  at  better  using  the  educational  and  social  values  of  sport  in  formal 
education. The expectation on the Year has lead to the following main requests and 
ideas: 

–  to  use  national  expertise  for  developing  a  better  understanding  and  increased 
knowledge at EU level of the place of sport and physical activity in school life and 
to promote recognition of institutions and organisations which contribute to better 
integration  of  sports  activities  in  school  (e.g.  by  promoting  recognition  by 
Member States of sport-minded schools based on criteria defined at EU level), 

–  to  raise  awareness  of  the  mutual  benefits  for  educational  institutions  and  sport 
organisations of closer collaboration in order to better use the potential of sport for 
the acquisition and development of key competences that equip young people and 
adults  for  adult  life  such  as  interpersonal,  intercultural,  social  and  civic 
competences, 

–  to improve recognition of qualifications of those involved in the teaching of sport-
related professions (e.g. trainers and sports managers) in order to fully exploit the 
high potential for job creation which can contribute to social cohesion in Europe, 

–  to  take  advantage  of  the  potential  of  sport  and  physical  activity  in  formal 
education as a way to reverse current trends towards sedentariness and a passive 
lifestyle, 

–  to make full use of the result of EYES 2004 by capitalising on the good practices 
developed  during  the  Year  and  to  better  exploit  the  possibilities  for  financing 
projects and initiatives based on sporting activities. 

9 

10 

Proposal for a Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council on key competences for 
lifelong learning (doc COM/2005/0548 final 
Commission  staff  working  document:  Towards  a  European  Qualifications  Framework  for  Lifelong 
Learning (doc SEC(2005)957) 

EN 

7 

   EN 

 
                                                 
3.2. 

Expectations in non-formal learning  

Sport  reaches  all  citizens  regardless  of  gender,  race,  age  and  social  or  economic 
background  and  EYES  2004  confirmed  the  increasing  interest  in  using  sport  as  a 
means  of  non-formal  learning.  The  Year  has  proved  the  demand  in  European  civil 
society  to  use  sport  in  non-formal  learning  and  as  a  tool  for  promoting  social 
integration,  developing  intercultural  dialogue  and  combating  discrimination,  in 
particular racism and xenophobia. 

Both sport and youth organisations have become increasingly aware of the synergies 
between their two fields and of the possibilities offered by the YOUTH programme. 
EYES  2004  has  also  contributed  to  creating  synergies  in  the  area  of  active 
citizenship. Taking part in sport is educational not only in its own right but also by 
virtue  of  active  participation  in  sport  clubs  and  organisations,  which  helps  to 
reinforce civil society through teaching practical democratic values. 

EYES  2004  has  also  proved  that  cooperation  with  organisations  that  are  active  in 
social  integration,  youth  and  active  citizenship  can  be  highly  beneficial  for  sport 
organisations in terms of recognition and reinforcement of their social function. 

As a result of the expectations raised by the Year on European citizens, the following 
ideas and demands have emerged: 

–  to  use  national  expertise  for  better  understanding  and  exploiting  the  potential  of 

sport as a means of non-formal learning, 

–  to  raise  awareness  of  the  potential  of  sport  as  a  means  of  non-formal  learning 
among  people  working  in  sports  (clubs,  federations,  etc.)  and  non-sport 
organisations in the fields of youth, active citizenship, anti-discrimination, social 
integration, anti-racism, etc., 

–  to promote recognition at EU level of volunteer work in sport as a means of non-
formal  learning  and  informal  learning  and  to  encourage  young  people  to 
participate actively in sport organisations in order to exploit the potential of sport 
for the acquisition of new skills and civic values, 

–  to take better advantage of the pedagogical value of sport by using it to promote 
exchanges  and  by  exploiting  the  synergies  of  sport  initiatives  within  the  EU 
programmes relating to non-formal learning and active citizenship. 

3.3. 

Follow up by the European Commission 

EYES  2004  highlighted  the  need  for  better  integration  of  sport  in  formal  and  non-
formal  education  and  learning  and  hence  for  networking  and  better  cooperation 
between educational institutions and sport organisations. However, while the EYES 
has contributed to change attitudes, further action is still required at EU level. 

Having regard to the request for action expressed by the citizens during the Year, the 
Commission, within the limits of its competence and in full respect of the principle 
of subsidiarity and the autonomy of educational institutions and sport organisations, 
will ensure a follow-up to the EYES 2004 notably along the following lines: 

EN 

8 

   EN 

 
–  to  carry  out  new  studies,  to  organise  further  expert  meetings  and  to  launch  new 
Eurobarometers  in  order  to  develop  a  better  understanding  and  increased 
knowledge  at  EU  level  of  the  place  of  sport  and  physical  activity  in  formal  and 
non-formal education, 

–  to continue organising meetings with public authorities responsible for education 
and  sport  and  enlarge  them  to  stakeholders  in  both  fields  in  order  to  raise 
awareness of the mutual benefits for the worlds of education and sport of closer 
collaboration, 

–  to  intensify  the  dialogue  and  cooperation  with  the  Sport  Movement  on  the 
educational  and  social  functions  of  the  sport  (e.g.:  volunteering,  participation  in 
sport  notably  for  women,  fight  against  racism  and  xenophobia,  education  and 
protection of young athletes, etc.), 

–  to use the possibilities of financing projects and initiatives on sporting activities in 
the  frame  of  EU  actions  such  as  future  European  Years11  and  the  new  EU 
programme  “Integrated  Life  Long  Learning”  and  to  take  advantage  of  the 
pedagogical  value  of  sport  in  the  exchanges  of  citizens  through  exploiting  the 
synergies of sport, youth and citizens initiatives within the EU programme “Youth 
in Action” and “Citizens for Europe”, 

–  to  improve  the  recognition  of  qualifications  in  sport  related  professions12  (e.g. 
through the inclusion of sport in the Common Quality Assurance Framework – a 
common reference framework designed to support the development and reform of 
the quality of Vocational Education and Training) and to facilitate mobility (e.g. 
by  including  sport  in  the  field  of  application  of  the  European  Credit  Transfer 
System  for  Vocational  Education  and  Training)  as  this  is  an  area  with  a  high 
potential  for  job  creation  which  can  therefore  contribute  to  social  cohesion  in 
Europe, 

–  to  raise  awareness  of  the  importance  of  physical  activity  in  reversing  obesity 
trends  by  ensuring  cooperation  in  the  sport  field  at  EU  level  and  promoting 
involvement  of  the  European  educational  and  sport  stakeholders  in  the  EU 
Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health. 

4. 

CONCLUSION 

The main objectives of the Decision establishing the European Year have been fulfilled. With 
contributions from the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee 
and the Committee of the Regions, awareness of the potential of sport as an educational tool 
has been raised. A consistent cooperation framework has been created at European level but 
also  national  cooperation  has  been  reinforced.  Widespread  mobilisation  of  educational 
institutions and sports organisations, public authorities and governments has been achieved. 

11 

12 

E.g.  Proposal  a  Decision  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  on  the  European  Year  of 
Intercultural Dialogue (2008) (doc COM(2005)467, 5.10.2005) 
The EU legally binding instrument on recognition of professional qualifications in the field of regulated 
professions is the Directive on professional qualifications (OJ L 255, 30.9.2005) 

EN 

9 

   EN 

 
                                                 
High demand from civil society for EU intervention in the field of education through sport has 
been  verified,  in  particular  as  regards  a  European  Union  action  to  strengthen  cooperation 
between the worlds of education and sport as well as with national governments. 

The Commission therefore: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

acknowledges  the  results  of  EYES  2004  as  well  as  the  need  to  capitalise  on  the 
initiative and to valorise and disseminate good practices, 

will develop its action along the lines proposed in the current Communication so as to 
improve  knowledge  in  the  field  of  education  through  sport,  to  promote  cooperation 
between  Member  States  and  between  the  worlds  of  education  and  sport,  to  intensify 
the  use  of  sport  under  the  aegis  of  EU  instruments,  to  increase  recognition  of 
qualifications and skills in sport and to promote physical activities, 

invites  the  Council,  the  European  Parliament,  the  European  Economic  and  Social 
Committee and the Committee of the Regions to recognise the impact and the positive 
results achieved by EYES 2004 and to take into account in their work the expectations 
raised during this Year. 

EN 

10 

   EN