The European Non Governmental Sports Organisation will be bring together representatives from European Non-Governmental Sports Organisations (ENGSO) from various European countries for the 14th ENGSO General Assembly which will take place from 5-7 May at the Grand Hotel Mercure San Antonio, St Paul's Bay. ENGSO is constituted by the national umbrella organisations of sport in the whole Europe, which means the existing national sport confederations, Olympic committees or a merger of these two.

ENGSO thus represents the sport of Europe in the broadest sense - everything from children and youth to competitive and recreational sports for adult people to sport for disabled. ENGSO is an independent non profit organisation based on democratically adopted statutes and regulations. As a Pan-European organisation it lies great stress on acting as a bridge builder between member organisations being EU-members and those still not EU-members.

In the proposal for a new EU-constitution for Sport it currently states that "The Union shall contribute to the promotion of European Sporting issues, while taking account of its specific nature, its structures based on voluntary activity and its social and educational function"…"Union action shall be aimed at developing the European dimension in sport, by promoting fairness and openness in sporting competitions and co-operation between bodies responsible for sports and by protecting the physical and moral integrity of sports-men and sports-women, especially young sportsmen and sports-women." "… excluding any harmonisation of laws and registrations of the member states."

ENGSO has put forward the following expectations and recommendations for the future and this new EU-constitution for Sport:

The main aims as a sports movement in our relation to EU are to safeguard the independence and autonomy of sports and to reach full respect for its specificity. It is important that the EU institutions realise that most sports are world wide organised and ruled in order to get the organisation, activities and sometimes lead to conflicts between regulations of the sports world and EU, as we have already experienced. Here early consultations and a positive approach from both sides could avoid conflicts!

Legislative protection of non-governmental /non-profit organisations - is necessary! In the opinion of ENGSO it is important that the society improves the pre-conditions for the operation of non-governmental/non-profit associations. The non-profit structure of associations has no significance in EU-legislation. It would be important for the EU-countries to recognise the civic activity of non-profit associations as an activity for the public good and not as a business activity! It is furthermore of primary importance that non-profit associations remain under national regulations!

The status and conditions for voluntary work must be paid attention to in the European Union… and all over Europe! It is important to recognise the activities of the non-governmental sport organisations which are mainly based on volunteers. The non-profit activity of the non-governmental sport organisations is by nature not a business activity. The activities are managed and maintained mostly by voluntary persons working for no economic benefit.

A crucial question for the moment affecting both NGO-GO's in most EU-countries is a strong wish that gambling must not be included in the service directives of EU. The national regulations should be safeguarded. It's our clear opinion. ENGSO's main argument is that funds given for non profit making organisations are primarily aimed at "public good activities".

In the next 5 years (2005-2010) ENGSO furthermore hopes on: "a budget line" for sport; an improved mutual co-operation between EU and the National umbrella organisation of sports; strong support for health promotion. It is important for the health of all Europeans; EU-commission giving active support to ENGSO and its member organisation in improving of equality in sports - particularly the project; "ENGSO leadership programme for women"; the youth activity of the sports movement - the far biggest youth movement in Europe - to be authorised as a full partner of European Youth Movements. The sports organisations should be qualified to apply for all existing EU-funds aimed at Youth activities and projects; that the proposed "Supporting article" will allow the EU-commission to financially support studies of the situation and trends in European sports; that a "Supporting Article" could allow EU-commission to build up an all European data-base on different facts and figures needed about sports in Europe; financial support for European seminars aimed at exchange of experience in topical matters for sports as for example "Good governance, social role of sports etc

In a future dialogue between EU-commission and the Sports Movement it is essential that ENGSO and the national umbrella organisations of sport and the special Sports organisations will be heard before important decisions on sports - at all levels of EU are taken; and that sport matters and co-operation with the European Sports Movement will be horizontally included in various EU-programmes.