On February 13, ACES attended the seminar on the contribution of sport on regional development in the context of negotiations for the 2021-2027 Cohesion Policy. The event was held in Brussels and was organised by SHARE, the EU initiative that aims to highlight the potential of sport-related projects, ensuring they are sufficiently taken into account as part of policy and investment decision-making at European, national and regional levels.

Not only physical activity has a significant value for the quality of our everyday lives but it can contribute to EU growth and sustainability. Notably, the sector of sport accounts for more that 2% of the EU GDP, as well as the total of employees in sport activities is almost 4.5 million (2012).

According to a study published by SHARE Initiative, the field of sport has the potential to contribute to five main objectives for regional development, namely:

A smarter Europe – Sport projects could promote sustainable job creation and quality employment, as well as labour mobility and could allow individuals to acquire or improve soft skills which enhances their employability

Low-carbon Europe – Promoting active lifestyles and investment in infrastructure for active mobility is essential to guarantee uptake of active alternatives to carbon transport needed to address increasingly problematic urban mobility challenges. Moreover, sport industry can move towards more sustainable and low-carbon-producing manufacturing of sporting goods

A more Connected Europe – Enhancing access and use of ICT, by investing in labour mobility of sport workforce, by enhancing institutional capacity and promoting active citizenship

A more Social Europe – Sport is particularly effective in enhancing social inclusion of marginalised and disadvantaged groups, such as people with disabilities, refugees, people at risk of poverty or the unemployed youth

A Europe closer to citizens – By fostering an integrated and sustained development in urban, rural and coastal regions

More about the SHARE Initiative here.