The 33rd Seminar of the European Olympic Committees (EOC), held in Budapest between 26th and 28th of April 2012 was opened by Attila Czene, the Hungarian Minister of State for Sport.

The seminar was organized by the Hungarian Olympic Committee. This was the last European level Olympic conference before the London Olympic Games.

Beside members of different international sport organizations and Olympic organizing committees and delegates from the Council of Europe, participants included also Patrick Hickey, the EOC president, Gilbert Felli the director of the London Olympic Games, Pere Miró the director of the International Olympic Committee, Zsolt Borkai the president of the Hungarian Olympic Committee and Raffaele Pagnozzi the General Secretary of EOC.

Attila Czene emphasized in his opening speech: „It is very important for the Hungarian government to listen to representatives of sport NGOs. Leaders of Hungary proved this when the Parliament adopted the new sport law on 1th of January 2012. With this step the tasks of public and civil sector were clarified. Sport-related decision-making is now back where it should be, while the real governmental tasks are concentrated in the hands of the public administration.„

Attila Czene also thanked Patrick Hickey for the cooperation provided by the EOC during Hungary’s EU Presidency. He also mentioned that the cooperation has continued, being interesting and useful for both parties.

At the end of his speech Attila Czene wished successful work to the EOC and he also stated: „Europe needs a coordinating organisation like this”.

Hungarian Minister of State for Sport Attila Czene and President of the Hungarian Olympic Committee Zsolt Borkai were both rewarded during the opening ceremony.

The EOC - like the Hungarian Olympic Committee and the other olympic committees in Europe - is working on the basis of the Olympic Charter.

The EOC organises the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) every other year respecting the dates of the Olympic Games. The city of Győr, supported by a governmental guarantee, is one of the candidates bidding to organize the 2017 summer EYOF.

At the end of the second day Hungarian Minister of State for Sport Attila Czene offered a gala dinner to the participants of the seminar.

(State Secretariat for Sport)