Sport diplomacy in the spotlight of High-Level Group

On 8 December the European Commission hosted the second meeting of the High-Level Group on Sport Diplomacy. Gathering renowned personalities of the world of sport, politics and academics, the Group was set up by Commissioner Navracsics in September 2015 and given the main task to come up with a set of recommendations, which would assist him in making sport an integral part of EU’s external affairs and diplomacy.

A fruitful discussion with the speakers and with a representative of the EU’s foreign affairs chief’s cabinet gave members of the Group a good basis for determining the form and the content of the Report. It was agreed that the recommendations would be divided in four basic categories - EU’s neighbourhood, development policies, major sport events, and capacity building within the EU institutions – and that each of these areas would be supported by a number of good practice examples. Members of the HL Group further stressed that rather than one of the target groups, the organised sport sector should be seen as an important partner and a “co-bearer” of the values that EU wants to promote in its foreign affairs. 

The next meeting of the High-Level Group will take place on 25 February 2016.

FURTHER INFORMATION
Commission Report on High-Level Group meeting