President of EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Attends Special Olympics Seminar

Seminar Hosted by Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia Demonstrates how Lisbon Treaty will enhance Visibility of Sports in European Union Policy Making.

On the invitation of Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia (SOEE), Jerzy Buzek, MEP and President of the European Parliament, attended a seminar entitled ‘The Importance of the Lisbon Treaty for Sports in Europe’ in Dublin, Ireland, on Tuesday, 8 September.

Hosted by SOEE, the seminar, heard calls to ratify the Lisbon Treaty.  The people of Ireland will vote on the Lisbon Treaty by a referendum on 2 October, 2009.  A positive outcome will enhance the visibility of sport in European policy making, allowing the European Union (EU) a legal base to support member states in the social, educational and cultural aspects of sport as outlined in the EU White Paper.

Speaking at the seminar, Mary Davis, Managing Director of Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia said: “Ratification of the Lisbon Treaty will give new and stronger powers to the European Commission and the European Parliament to bring forward laws to promote sporting activities within all the member states of the EU.  We will see a policy based on the 'sports for all' concept which will ensure that everyone in society can benefit from participating in sport in an equal, fair and non discriminatory manner.  Having a legal competence within the EU treaties also means that for the first time sporting initiatives can be financially funded by the institutions of the European Union.”

To date the 53 policy actions outlined in the EU White Paper on Sports, published in July 2007, have not been implemented.  The White Paper also states that the Commission will take into account the importance of sport for disabled people and will support member-state actions in this field.

Visit to Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia Headquarters

President Buzek MEP also took time for a visit to the headquarters of Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia in Dublin, during which he discussed with the organisation’s current application to secure 15 million Euros from the European Commission.  The funds would financially support the development of Special Olympics across the 27 Member States as well as assist with the hosting of the 2010 Special Olympics European Games in Warsaw, Poland and the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Athens, Greece.

“The Special Olympics movement in Europe promotes volunteerism, social inclusion, cross-border solidarity for people with intellectual disabilities and delivers public health; it empowers people with intellectual disabilities and breaks down barriers between the person with and without disability. Special Olympics delivers on all of these areas of EU policy on a daily basis, every week across the 27 EU Member States,” added Mary Davis.

Photo: President of the EU Parliament Jerzy Buzek MEP is presented with a book on Special Olympics Athletes by Mary Davis, Managing Director of Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia, during a visit to Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia Headquarters in Dublin. (Photo credit: Brian Lawless/SPORTSFILE)