Brussels, 27/11/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 27 November, the Council adopted conclusions on sport's contribution to the EU economy, particularly with regard to tackling youth unemployment and promoting social inclusion.
In the conclusions, ministers emphasise that sport can play an important role in helping stimulate economic recovery and addressing to the urgent problem of youth unemployment. They advocate, therefore, strategic investment in sport, with a more targeted use of the opportunities provided by EU financial instruments and the Erasmus+ programme.
By taking part in team sports and voluntary activity in sports, the young unemployed and those with no job security can acquire specific personal and professional skills and increase their chances of getting a job. The Lithuanian minister for home affairs, Alphonsas Dailis Barakausas said that “youth unemployment is a major challenge in the EU today. Sport provides young people with an opportunity to develop important skills, such as initiative building, the feeling of belonging to a team and discipline, which are very much appreciated on the job market today”.
It is increasingly obvious that sport is a major factor for growth and employment, and that it also plays a part in social cohesion and well-being. Sport therefore makes a full contribution to achieving the aims of the EUROPE 2020 strategy. It offers prospects of job creation and of support for local economic development, through the building and maintenance of sporting facilities, the organisation of sporting events, the market activities of the sporting goods and services industries and related activities in other sectors, the document states. The conclusions encourage member states, moreover, to invest in small-scale sports facilities projects and to support local sports clubs, in order to encourage the feeling of belonging to a community and therefore to reduce levels of crime and vandalism. “Relatively small-scale investment of public money in local sports facilities, and/or support for community-based sports clubs can generate enormous benefits in terms of stronger, safer and more cohesive communities”, said Barakauskas. (IL/transl.fl/jl)