About the Project
The aim of the project
SHAPING EU SPORT is the Erasmus+ sport project (Erasmus+ Project No. 101133558), co-funded by the European Union and implemented by partners from Slovakia (Run and Smile), Cyprus (Cyprus Sport Organsiation), and Estonia (Estonian Foundation of Sport, Education and Information).
The project aims to strengthen EU-level work in sport by showcasing the contributions of EU Council Presidencies since sport became an official EU competence under Article 165 of the Lisbon Treaty and to introduce how policies are shaped from a perspective of Chairs of the Council Working Party on Sport. The project supports the development of EU sport policy by making key sport policy documents, initiatives and outcomes more visible, accessible and understandable for stakeholders at all levels.
The project delivers two main outputs: an interactive website and a brochure titled SHAPING EU SPORT that highlight EU Council policy documents and major initiatives from EU institutions related to the implementation of the EU Work Plan for Sport 2010–2025.
Development of the project
The project Shaping EU Sport began as a quiet reflection on how much had been achieved in the European Union’s work in the field of sport – and how little of it was visible to the wider public. When the project commenced in January 2024, its foundation rested on an impressive legacy: between 2010 and 2023, twenty-seven EU Council Presidencies had helped shape policies addressing every aspect of sport – from health and participation to integrity, inclusion, and innovation. The European Commission had worked in close cooperation with the Council through four Commissioners and three successive Heads of the Sport Unit, producing thirty-nine Council documents – Conclusions, Resolutions, and Recommendations – along with numerous studies, communications, and initiatives. Yet the richness of these efforts remained dispersed across time, documents, and institutions.
That was precisely the seed for Shaping EU Sport – a joint initiative of partners from Slovakia, Cyprus, and Estonia, supported by the Erasmus+ Programme under the 2023 Small Scale Partnership call. Its main ambition was simple yet essential: to bring together, in one accessible and interactive space, fifteen years of EU sport policy development.
The project built directly on the EU Work Plan for Sport 2021 – 2024, which invited Member States to consider creating a platform for sharing and storing reports, best practices, and documents that can support mutual learning. Responding to that call, Shaping EU Sport set out to create a lasting, open resource that would make European sport policy more understandable, usable, and inspiring – not only for officials and experts but also for local stakeholders, educators, and anyone interested in the role of sport in society.
The project team
Behind every policy, there are people. The core project team brought together three former Chairs and one Vice-Chair of the Council Working Party on Sport – each representing a different Presidency and perspective – united by shared experience and commitment.
- Vassos Koutsioundas, Chair during the Cyprus Presidency in 2012, Head of Finance at the Cyprus Sport Organisation and national representative at the Working Party on Sport.
- Ioanna Paraskevopoulou, Vice-Chair during the Cyprus Presidency in 2012, EU Affairs Officer at the Cyprus Sport Organisation, joined the core team to strengthen continuity and policy linkage.
- Elena Malíková, Chair of the Working Party on Sport during the Slovak Presidency in 2016, Main State Advisor at the Government Office of the Slovak Republic and former Chair of the Slovak Olympic Academy.
- Kairis Ulp, Chair during the Estonian Presidency in 2017, Head of the Estonian Sports Register and leading expert at the Estonian Foundation of Sport, Education and Information.
Together, they represented a rare blend of institutional memory and practical knowledge of EU sport governance. Their cooperation reflected what the project itself stood for – shared responsibility, respect for diversity, and an enduring belief that sport connects beyond borders.
The project’s tangible outcomes were designed with both clarity and continuity in mind. The SHAPING EU SPORT website became the central tool – an interactive hub containing adopted Council and Commission documents, complemented by insights into the work of the Presidencies and expert groups. Alongside it, a booklet under the same title captures key milestones and documents the evolution of EU sport policy across fifteen years.
The legacy of the project
In 2025, as the project period comes to an end, reflecting on two years of implementation reveals that Shaping EU Sport was never simply about documentation. It was equally about recognition – honouring the collective efforts of successive Presidencies, hundreds of experts, and countless discussions that have helped shape sport as an essential part of European cooperation. At the same time, the initiative looks forward, aiming to create an informal network of current and former Working Party members to keep the website active and to encourage continued exchange beyond the project’s duration.
In this sense, Shaping EU Sport stands as both a tribute and a tool – honouring what has been built, while ensuring it remains alive, discoverable, and relevant for the next generation of policymakers and sport professionals. What began as a small partnership among three countries has quietly evolved into an informal reference point for EU sport policy – a bridge between the institutional and the human, between the written word and the living practice of sport in Europe.
Sources and Copyright Information
All texts and interviews originate from the SHAPING EU SPORT project, co-funded by the European Union and implemented by partners from Slovakia, Cyprus, and Estonia. While accuracy has been carefully verified, unintentional errors may occur; readers are welcome to report them via www.shapingeusport.eu.
This website draws upon a variety of publicly accessible sources, including:
- Official EU Publications – Available via Publications Office of the EU.
- European Legislation – Accessible through EUR-Lex, covering EU laws and legal documents.
- Private Collections – Personal archives, documents, and materials used with permission.
- Author Contributions and Interviews – Insights and information provided by authors, experts, or interviewees, with consent for publication.
Every effort has been made to accurately credit all sources and respect intellectual property rights. Any reproduction, distribution, or use of materials from this website without explicit permission is strictly prohibited.
Disclaimer: The information provided is for general informational purposes only. While we strive for accuracy and completeness, no liability is assumed for any errors, omissions, or consequences arising from the use of this content.