EU - CYPRUS TAKES OVER EU PRESIDENCY TILL DECEMBER 2012

17 July 2012

Brussels, 17th July - Cyprus has taken over the Presidency of the Council of the EU as of last 1st July, succeeding Poland and Denmark as third country of the Trio Presidency. In June 2011, the Trio stated in a note regarding the 18 month programme of the Council that the main issues regarding sport would be to:
- Address threats to the integrity of sport, such as doping and match-fixing
- Prioritize the social, societal and economic dimensions of sport, as well as
- Promote quality of life, health enhancing activities and volunteering.

Within the scope of the programme, the Cyprus Presidency will thus focus on the following priorities:
- Public Health and Physical Activity: Adoption of Council Conclusions in the field of Health Enhancing Physical Activity (HEPA)
- Evidence based Sport Policies (e.g. Sport Statistics): Adoption of Council Conclusions on "Evidence based Sport Policy"
- Sport Integrity: Match fixing: Preparation of a Council Resolution on combating match fixing, which is one deliverable of the Expert Group "Good Governance".
- Continuation of the work on Good Governance principles.
- Doping (also in recreational sports): The EU will, among other things, prepare a contribution for the second consultation phase for the revision of the WADA Code. It is expected that the fight against doping will be more prominent on the agenda during the Cyprus Presidency.

Further negotiations on "Erasmus for all" the funding programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport will also be carried out.

During the Cyprus Presidency, the following main events regarding sport will take place in Nicosia:
- 19/20 September: EU Sport Forum, organized by the Commission. An Informal Ministerial Meeting will be linked to this Forum.
- 22/23 November: Ministerial Council of Education, Youth, Culture and Sport (EYCS)
- 29/30 November: Sport Directors Meeting

Furthermore, during the Cyprus Rotating Presidency the expert Minister for the WADA Foundation Board will be elected.

The term of the Cyprus Presidency will end on 3st December and will be followed by Ireland, which will hold the Presidency for the first semester of 2013.