Meeting between sports ministers of the UK and Finland
Ms Tanja Saarela, the Finnish Minister of Culture who is also in charge of sport, and the Rt Hon Richard Caborn MP, Minister for Sport in the UK, met in Helsinki on 6 September 2006. The Ministers discussed the key sports policy questions of Finland’s EU Presidency.
The discussion between the Ministers comprised topics such as the White Paper on sport currently under preparation in the Commission and The Independent European Sport Review 2006, a study on football in Europe. The study underlines the importance of the European model of sports club activities and certain special features of the sport in relation to European Union legislation. The study focuses on the problems of professional football and puts forward recommendations for solving them.
Minister Saarela considers it vitally important that sports is understood in the broad sense, as encompassing all forms of physical exercise rather than just professional sports. "This must particularly be taken into account in the White Paper on sport that the Commission is now in the process of preparing,” Minister Saarela stated. The Ministers also discussed international anti-doping issues.
During Finland’s EU Presidency, Finland will strive to promote the inclusion of its priority themes for sports in the Commission's White Paper. Finland’s themes are health-promoting exercise, non-governmental activities in sports and anti-doping action.
During Finland’s EU Presidency, there will be a Meeting of Sports Directors on 4–6 October 2006 in Naantali. The European Commission together with Finland’s EU Presidency will arrange an Informal Sports Ministers Conference in Brussels on 27–28 November 2006.
Further information: - Terhi Heinilä, Senior Advisor, tel: (09) 160 76992