On 1 January 2021, Portugal took over the rotating Presidency of the EU Council for 6 months until 30 June 2021, taking the baton from Germany who presided the previous half year.

While many activities will still be impacted by the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic and especially the socioeconomic recovery from it, the Presidency is also a chance for the country to set its own agenda and priorities.

With the motto “Time to deliver, the Portuguese Presidency has chosen a “fair, green and digital recovery” and has pinpointed five priority areas.

Sport under the Portuguese Council Presidency 

More interesting for the sport sector, holding the Council Presidency also means chairing the meetings of the different Council configurations and the Council’s preparatory bodies, including the Working Party on Sport. Portugal will therefore take on a prominent role in leading and shaping the agenda of these meetings.

The programme of the Portuguese Presidency features several paragraphs that directly relate to sport: “The Presidency will also pay attention to community policing and promoting public security, including the protection of public spaces and safety and violence in sport.”

As part of the new EU Work Plan for Sport 2021-2024, the Portuguese Presidency has committed to cover the topic of innovation and digitalisation under the socioeconomic and environmental dimensions of sport: “The Presidency will map innovation in sport and identify new trends in ‘sport of the future’ as part of the next EU Work Plan for Sport.”

On the agenda of the Portuguese Presidency is also the organisation of the EU Sport Forum 2021 with date and format to be defined in due course.

As part of the EU Work Plan, a focus will be put on the topic of sport diplomacy and the plan is to organise a conference to foster best-practice exchange and knowledge-building: “Attention will be paid to sport as an instrument of the EU’s external relations, with a particular focus on Africa and Latin America.”

Like every Council’s Presidency, Portugal has launched its official website and an official programme.

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