The European Commission Directorate General for Education and Culture (DG EAC) has launched a Call to set up a High level Group on Sport Diplomacy under the political leadership of Commissioner Navracsics.
The aim of the group is to assess the value of sport in EU external policies, and in public diplomacy in particular. It will identify how sport can help the EU reach its external political ambitions (e.g. easing relations with partner countries) and be an element of dialogue with third countries and regions as part of EU public diplomacy.

Objective
The group should produce a report and a set of recommendations on:
– Sport’s potential to contribute to EU diplomacy;
– Sport’s capacity to embody and communicate European values;
– The ways in which the EU could support the use of sport as a tool for development cooperation;
– The ways in which the EU could support the development of sport and capacity building in third countries;
– Tools which could be used by the EU to better support European sport, its specificities, its values and its events outside Europe.

The final report should be produced by June 2016.

Composition of the High level group
The members of the group designated by the Commission will be:
1) Organisations active in the field of sport, in particular federations, professional and grassroots sport associations, non-governmental organisations, universities, research institutes, civil society (including European and international organisations).
2) Individuals acting independently and expressing their own personal views.
The appointment of members of the High level group will be for the duration of the works.

Eligible applicants should have specific knowledge and demonstrated professional experience with regard to sport diplomacy.
In the case of organisations, they should preferably be an international or European umbrella organisation of national or regional organisations.
Representative(s) of organisations as well as the individual applicants should:
– have proven competence and experience, including at European and/or international level, in areas relevant to the mandate of the High level group;
– be of an appropriate senior level in the case of representatives of organisations and
– have a good knowledge of English, French or German.

The High level group will hold a minimum of four meetings on Commission premises in Brussels. The works of the High level group should start in October 2015.
Travel and subsistence expenses incurred by the participants will be reimbursed by the Commission. Participants shall not receive remuneration for their duties.
The working language for documents will be English.

Deadline: 15 July 2015, 18h00, (Brussels time).

Find out more: http://ec.europa.eu/sport/news/2015/0615-high-level-group-sport_en_en.htm