A team of experts from the Council of Europe visited Helsinki on 18 and 19 April to provide support and follow-up on the implementation of the European Sports Charter (ESC) within Finnish legislation and policies. The ESC sets out the fundamental principles for national sports policies and helps governments in providing opportunities for everyone to participate in sports under specific conditions.
During their visit, the team met with key stakeholders involved in promoting values-based sports in Finland. This included discussions with Sandra Bergqvist, Minister of Youth, Sport, and Physical Activity, Esko Ranto, Director General of the Ministry of Education and Culture, Tiina Kivisaari, Director of the Sports Division of the Ministry of Youth, Sport, and Physical Activity, as well as representatives from various sports organizations like the Olympic and Paralympic Committees, athletes, non-organized sports groups, the media, and others.
The visit was part of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS) mandate to assist member states in implementing the ESC. The team members included Kaarel Nestor from Estonia, a member of the EPAS Governing Board, Diana Santos from Portugal, Hugh Torrance from EGLSF, a member of the EPAS Consultative Committee, and two members of the EPAS Secretariat.
The team’s findings, recommendations, and best practices will be compiled into a report that will be shared with Finnish authorities for the implementation of tailored recommendations. This report will be publicly available in 2024 on the Council of Europe’s website.