Promoting a Strategic Approach to EU Sport Diplomacy

Background Across the world, countries are recognising the value of sport diplomacy. Through sport, new links between estranged states can be forged so that new social, political and economic opportunities can be explored. The EU is taking its first steps at sport diplomacy. This project was designed to assist it. The team conducted primary research, staged six international seminars and produced a report encouraging the EU to act more strategically in this area. It is time for EU Sport Diplomacy. Objectives Within the EU, little is known about sport diplomacy, but on closer inspection, it is regularly practiced. This project set out to raise awareness of sport diplomacy in the EU. It sought to encourage cooperation between the EU, public authorities and the sports movement. It wanted to bring key policymakers and stakeholders together in order to maintain sport diplomacy on the EU’s political agenda, and it set out to provide an evidence base on the value and efficacy of EU sport diplomacy. Implementation The project team produced four outputs including an Interim Report published as a special edition of the Sport and Citizenship journal, and Final Report including a set of policy recommendations. We staged six high-level events in Zagreb, Madrid, The Hague, Strasbourg, Skopje and Brussels at which key individuals from academia, politics, administration and sport discussed their experiences of sport diplomacy and how the EU can act more strategically in this area. Achievements At the conclusion of our project, we produced a 145 page Final Report that made 16 recommendations across five areas:1. The principles to be followed.2. EU institutional considerations.3. Sport diplomacy as an expression of EU values.4. Relations with international organisations.5. Practical considerations.Our overall message is that sport diplomacy offers the EU a relatively low risk and low cost means of helping it build a stronger Europe in the world.