From Bosman to Erasmus+ Sport

Since 2016, TW1N CEO & Founder Wolfgang Stockinger holds a lectureship on European Sport Policy & Sport Organisation. This week, our latest course in the master’s degree programme “Sport – Management – Media” took place at the University of Salzburg.

The education of young academics on the multilayer impact of sport is a crucial factor for future policy steps on European level. Thus, our teaching content focuses on helping students comprehend socio-political contexts around the most recent EU developments in sport.

How can my own future vocational activity fit into a bigger picture of society? For sport students, this is a question worth exploring; especially, as the majority of them are in the final stage of their academic training. Becoming aware of job options which arise from the most recent European sport policy will benefit the students’ upcoming step into the labour market.

A brief history of EU sport policy

For a long time, sport appeared to be a cross-sectional matter influenced by individual initiatives and trend-setting European Court of Justice decisions (such as the infamous Bosman ruling in 1995). In contrast, the story of sport as a designated policy area is short.

Building on the EU White Paper on Sport in 2007 and, following, the Treaty of Lisbon, the European dimension of sport has been gradually taking shape. The implementation of the funding programme Erasmus+ Sport and the launch of the European Week of Sport are examples of positive developments in the last 10 years.

Despite these important steps on policy level, sport remains one of the most underestimated sectors regarding its potential to contribute to key objectives of the EU. Not appearing anymore in the title of a European Commissioner’s portfolio, sport is now part of two departments: “Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth” of Commissioner Gabriel and “Promoting our European Way of Life” of Commissioner Schinas.

Milestone Erasmus+

Today, the key themes of the EU Work Plan for Sport 2017-2020 (integrity of sport, economic dimension of sport, sport and society) serve as guidelines for European project calls and activities. Particularly Erasmus+ offers new opportunities to a wide range of beneficiaries. TW1N is currently involved in two EU projects, namely STARTING 11 (project co-leader) and ATLAS (project consultant).