Study on the contribution of sport to regional development through the structural funds : executive summary

People take up sport and physical activity for a variety of reasons, including for the sheer enjoyment of it, to improve fitness and health and to generate a sense of well-being. Promoting sport is important in itself, but sport also makes a direct contribution to economic activity and has huge strengths as a means of motivating a wide range of individuals and groups. In short, sport and physical activity can have very important economic and social impacts, especially at a local or regional level. It is on the economic and social benefits of sport and physical activity that the Study on the Contribution of Sport to Regional Development under the Structural Funds has concentrated. In this sense, the study has not primarily been about how to get more funding for sport. It is much more about the role of sport in modern economies and society and how sport and physical activity can be a powerful means of achieving the objectives of EU Cohesion policy. The European Commission is committed to exploiting the support of sport by the Structural Funds as a tool for regional and rural development and in order to strengthen the skills and employability of workers in the sport sector. This study aims to assist the implementation of this commitment by providing practical information and advice in the following ways: - summary information on 229 sport and physical activity projects that have already been supported (mainly in the 2007-2013 period) by the Structural Funds, - 33 good practice cases, illustrating the effective use of EU Funds, - analysis explaining the nature and impact of sport-based initiatives, with an identification of the relevant general policy objectives and a more specific categorisation of the sport interventions used to achieve them, - practical advice for those interested in developing projects set out in a guidance document and in the report's recommendations. As background to the presentation of this material, the report briefly explains the policy context for the study and the growing profile of sport at a European level, notably since the reference to sport in the Lisbon Treaty. It also refers to important debates relating to sport and regional development in the academic literature, such as sport's role in the Experience Economy. Finally, by way of context, the methodology of the study is explained.