On 1 July, Spain has taken over the Presidency of the Council of the EU from Sweden for the upcoming 6 months. The Spanish programme is structured around four priorities:
- Strategic industries and technologies,
- inclusive economy,
- further integration,
- reform of the electricity market and an increase in renewable energies.
Spain reiterated that sport is a fundamental component of European society that fosters greater cohesion, respect and tolerance as well as employment, progress and development.
Over the following months, the focus will be on the creation of safe sports areas, the eradication of acts of hate and the promotion of gender equality. On this last point, the GAMES project coordinated by the EOC EU Office and co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme is perfectly aligned with the Spanish presidency's will to promote the training, visibility and leadership of women in sport.
The sports-related events organised by the Spanish Presidency are:
- 21-23 September (Valencia, Spain): Conference on "Safe environments in sport"
- 23 September (Valencia, Spain): Official launch of the European Week of Sport 2023
- 14-15 November (Madrid, Spain): Conference on "Gender equality in sport"
15-16 November (Madrid, Spain): Meeting of the Major Events Expert Group (MSE)