Context and overall objectives SHAPING EU SPORT project highlighted the work of presidencies of the Council of the European Union from a perspective of Chairs of the Council Working Party on Sport. Through their views, it introduced sport policies adopted since 2009, when sport was included in the official agenda of the European Union thanks to article 165 of the Lisbon Treaty. 

The overarching objective of the project was to create a comprehensive and interactive overview of EU sport policy, including the work of Council Presidencies and reflections from Chairs of the Council Working Party on Sport. By consolidating scattered information into a single, easily navigable repository, the project sought to enhance transparency, facilitate knowledge sharing, and foster cross-border collaboration among policymakers and other stakeholders.

Specifically, the project aimed to:

• Collect and document EU sport policies, legal frameworks, recommendations, and strategic priorities from the past fifteen years.
• Promote understanding of the EU's collaborative approach to sport governance and strengthen awareness of shared values across EU Member States.
• Provide innovative tools for knowledge transfer, policy learning, and dialogue among the EU member States.
• Support long-term engagement among EU institutions, national sport authorities, and other stakeholders by creating a sustainable and interactive platform that continues to provide access to policy knowledge beyond the project's duration.

By focusing on these objectives, SHAPING EU SPORT positioned itself as a bridge between historical EU achievements, ongoing policymaking, and future initiatives in the field of sport, ensuring that key lessons and policy knowledge are preserved and widely disseminated.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them. 

Work Performed and Main Achievements

The project was implemented in line with the planned timetable and achieved these key activities and achievements:

• Documentation and Consolidation of EU Sport Policy: The project successfully documented the major achievements of 32 Council Presidencies, five Commissioners, four Heads of the Sport Unit, 48 adopted Conclusions, Resolutions, and Recommendations, and numerous supporting documents. By consolidating information that was previously dispersed across multiple sources, SHAPING EU SPORT created a comprehensive reference tool for policymakers and stakeholders.
• Interactive Website Development: The project developed a user-friendly interactive website www.shapingeusport.eu that brings together more than 100 key policy documents, recommendations, and supporting materials. The website functions both as a historical archive and a practical resource for policymakers, sport experts and the wider public. It provides thematic navigation by policy area, Presidency, and document type, allowing efficient and targeted access to EU sport knowledge.
• Publication of SHAPING EU SPORT: A high-quality publication was produced documenting the contributions of EU Presidencies and Chairs of the Council Working Party on Sport. The book presents key priorities, negotiations, policy decisions, and follow-up activities, complemented by reflections and insights from stakeholders directly involved in shaping EU sport policy. It was presented to Commissioner Glenn Micallef at the Sport Info Day in Brussels in 2025 and distributed to more than 120 stakeholders across Europe, ensuring targeted outreach to the most relevant audiences.
• Final Presentation and Stakeholder Engagement: The project's final events in Brussels created space for in-depth dialogue on the evolution of EU sport policy, facilitating discussion on achievements, lessons learned, and perspectives for future cooperation. The events also reinforced informal networks among participants, helping to build relationships expected to support continued collaboration.
• Transnational Project Meetings and Coordination: The project held 5 in-person meetings of the consortium core team in Brussels, Estonia, Cyprus, Slovakia, and again in Brussels, as well as 15 online meetings, for a total of 20 project meetings. These meetings ensured effective coordination, balanced decision-making, and timely preparation of project outputs.
• Stakeholder and Public Outreach: The project also successfully engaged additional stakeholders through various dissemination activities. Flyers, leaflets, and web updates were used to ensure broad communication of the project's objectives and achievements.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.