Mr. Atilla Czene, Hungarian Secretary of State for Sports and Mr. Gregory Paulger, Director for Youth and Sport of the European Commission opened today the EU Sports Forum which takes place from February 21-22, 2011 in Budapest, Hungary.

About 200 participants from the Olympic and sport movement, including leading representatives from international and European sport federations, European and national sport umbrella organisations and other sport-related organisations came together to discuss topics relating to the new EU competence in the field of sport and its implementation.

 

During the first day, a particular attention was given to the projects selected in the framework of the 2009 and 2010 Preparatory Actions in the field of sport. Present on the forum are also the EUSA representatives, Mr. Leonz Eder, Treasurer and Mr. Matjaz Pecovnik, Secretary General.

 

 

During the first day, Mr. Eder and Mr. Pecovnik had an opportunity for several individual meetings with representatives of sports organisations from all over the Europe, among them also with Mr. Jan Holze, Chairman of the ENGSO Youth. EUSA and ENGSO Youth are partners in the European Anti-Doping Initiative (EADIn), a project which is funded by the European Commission and is being presented also to the participants of the Forum in Budapest.

 

 

In the afternoon the EUSA Representatives met with Mr Michal Krejza, Head of the Sport Unit at the European Commission and presented him the activities of the European University Sports Association.

 

The Forum continues tomorrow with a high-level debate on the European Commission's new Communication on Developing the European Dimension in Sport and joint lunch with EU Sports Ministers and European Commissioner for Sport, Mrs Androulla Vassiliou.