On 11 September, the SHARE 2.0 annual conference took place in Brussels, bringing together all members of SHARE 2.0 Communities of Practices (CoPs) for a day of engaging discussions, collaborative learning, and networking.
Against the backdrop of the renewal of the President of the European Commission, the formation of a new College of Commissioners, and the publication of the Political Guidelines for the next European Commission, the goal of the conference was to discuss and co-design the essence of upcoming Sport and Physical Activity (SPA) policy papers. The latter will serve as the foundation for future SHARE 2.0 activities.
Normunds Popens, Deputy Director General of DG EAC, opened the conference by reflecting on the importance of SPA. The SHARE 2.0 initiative notably aims to mainstream SPA into EU policy and regional development. Mr. Popens emphasised that sport means much more than competition and high level performance—it is crucial to promote health, well-being, social inclusion, and economic growth. This is also why it remains essential to refer to SPA. The need for a new narrative linking sport to the European Commission’s goals of competitiveness and sustainability, securing its place in future funding programmes, was stressed.
The conference provided a platform for the three CoPs on Health, Innovation, and Sustainability to share common challenges and best practices. The discussions were facilitated through breakout sessions, during which the different CoPs engaged in fruitful conversations and exchanged ideas.
The breakout session on Health focused on promoting SPA across the lifespan. EuropeActive advocated for greater cross-sectoral collaboration to make fitness and physical activity more accessible and affordable for all, including reducing VAT and taxes for sports and physical activity providers. This would help encourage individuals to adopt more active and healthier lifestyles by lowering participation costs.
The session further emphasised the importance of taking an intersectional approach and recognising the unique challenges different groups and communities face when staying active. CoP on Health’s members stressed that collaboration across sectors— such as health, education, and urban development—can create more inclusive opportunities for physical activity.
The CoP on Innovation discussed digitalisation as a source of competitiveness in the sport industry, and how best to support scale-ups.
Innovation and digitalisation are key for progress and are essential for the sector’s recognition as a contributor towards European economy and society.
However, the widespread lack of education, skills and resources make scaling up difficult. The session stressed the necessity to have clearer common definitions, more awareness about digital tools and simplified bureaucratic processes.
During the CoP on Sustainability, participants exchanged ideas on how to better support SPA organisations on their sustainability journey. Suggestions included simplifying access to information for smaller organisations and highlighting the wealth of good practices already in place. Many called for a centralised toolkit or platform to make resources and knowledge more accessible – like a European toolkit for Sustainable Sport - as current tools and initiatives for environmental sustainability are often hard to find and underutilised.
The SHARE 2.0 annual conference concluded with a plenary session where rapporteurs from each CoP group presented the key takeaways. Following the in-person conference, CoP members will continue collaborating on the policy papers, providing policymakers with recommendations for integrating SPA into future EU policies. The papers will focus on promoting physical activity, supporting mental health, driving innovation, and enhancing sustainability in the sports sector.
The event brought into focus the critical role SPA plays in promoting health, well-being, and sustainability. By refining the narrative around SPA and advocating for its inclusion in EU policies and European funding programmes, stakeholders can unlock new opportunities for growth and innovation in the sector and beyond. Joint collaborations and cross-sectoral-commitment in the sports sector can help build a healthier and more competitive Europe.
EuropeActive at SHARE 2.0 Conference: Kiera Wason (EU Affairs Manager), Ilaria Ragni (EU Policy Officer), Gisella Guglielminotti (EU Policy Officer)
