The two-day Informal Meeting of EU Sport Directors is being held in Gödöllő as the official closing event of the Hungarian EU Presidency’s sport issues, chaired by Attila Czene, Minister of State for Sport of the Ministry of National Resources.

The main objective of the Presidency has been to ensure the future of European sport, as a new priority area of EU policy. Currently the following three main factors are defining its position:

• the Lisbon Treaty has came into force more than a year ago,
• the European Commission’s Communication was published on 18 January 2011,
• and the adoption of the first EU Work Plan for Sport.

The Work Plan, whose adoption is the most important success of the Presidency in the field of sport, has been prepared by the Hungarian Presidency in conjunction with the European Commission and EU Member States. In the forthcoming three years the sport related EU level work will be addressed along the priorities of the Work Plan.

The Hungarian Presidency has been working hard with a view to establish in the future the sports program, to support financially the sport area, the newly acquired EU-competence. “Related to the above, we addressed sport ministers at the Informal Meeting of Sport Ministers held in Gödöllő in February, thus their position could be heared by the European Commission, and it is the role of the Commission to plan the budget of the EU, so the setting up of the sport program from 2014 depends on its members’ proposal. The first version of this proposal may be revealed later this year” – said Attila Czene.

In today’s Meeting of EU Sport Directors discussions have started with a joint session of Sport Directors, European and international sport organizations and the Council of Europe. For well-established sport policy decisions it is indispensable to become fully acquainted with the opinions, thoughts and expectations of non-governmental organizations at EU-level. Today the sport movement, the Member States together with the directors of EU Institutions and the Council of Europe have discussed together how sport organizations could become involved in the implementation of the new EU Work Plan.

The delegations have also expressed their views on illegal sport betting.

The day will end with a carriage driving competition for the delegations in the Lázár Equestrian Park of Domonyvölgy.

(kormany.hu)