EU Rapport over de erkenning van de rol van vrijwilligers in de sportsector.

During a consultation launched last spring, a number of civil society organisations have voiced their concern at the legislative framework that discourages the engagement of volunteers in sport.

The report on the results of the public consultation on the EU's sports competence, published yesterday (28 July), singles out the need for EU action to support the social, educational and health functions of sport activities, already outlined in the study on volunteering in the EU, published in February 2010.

The study maps the EU-27's national regulatory framework regarding sports volunteering and specific legislation on promoting volunteering and engaging volunteers, such as specific tax regimes, exemptions or reduced VAT rates for sports organisations, for example.

The organisation, administration and implementation of most sporting activities in the EU is traditionally based on voluntary engagement.

However, the Commission notes that societal and legal changes have made the recruitment of volunteers, particularly young ones, more difficult.

According to the EU executive, people's readiness to voluntarily engage with such organisations has fallen, which together with the further commercialisation and professionalisation of sport "has an impact on European sport structures, especially at the grassroots level".

By nominating 2011 as the 'European Year of Voluntary Activities', the EU hopes to increase the recognition and popularity of volunteering across Europe, and encourage the exchange of best practice between member states (EurActiv 27/11/09).

The online consultation got more than 1,300 valid submissions, some 30% of which were filled out by a representative of different organisations.