Estonia's participation in the work of the European Union and the Council of Europe

Article 165 of the Treaty on European Union prescribes the following: 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. The Union's action shall aim to develop the European dimension in sport by promoting the integrity and openness of sporting competitions and cooperation between bodies responsible for sport and the protection of the physical and mental integrity of athletes, especially young athletes.

In the European Union, issues in the field of sport are discussed in the Working Party on Sport of the Council of the EU. Representatives of all the Member States participate in the work of the Working Party and make preparations for the meetings of the Ministers for Sport of the Council of the European Union, which take place at least twice a year. The representatives from Estonia also participate in the expert groups of the European Commission, which are convened as needed.

Estonia has participated in studies organised by the European Union, the results of which can be used to make sports policy decisions, and compared with other European Union countries. 

The European Union's work in the field of sports is guided by the European Union's work plan for sport. The first work plan was adopted in 2011. Subsequently, work plans for the years 2014-2017, 2017-2020 and 2021-2024 have been adopted.

The current Work Plan focuses on the following:

• protecting integrity and values ​​in sport;
• socio-economic and environmental dimension of sport;
• promoting participation in sports and health-enhancing physical activity.

Read more on the website of the sports unit of the Directorate-General for Education and Culture of the European Commission.

In the Council of Europe, the sports field is coordinated by EPAS, the organization of the extended partial agreement on sports of the Council of Europe. The Council of Europe fights against the negative aspects of sport with conventions.

• In 2016, a new Council of Europe Convention was opened for signature in Saint-Denis, which deals with an integrated approach to security, safety and service at football matches and other sporting events. The new convention updates the 1985 European Convention on Spectator Violence and Misbehaviour at Sports Events and in particular at Football Matches, which Estonia had acceded to before the accession to the new convention. Estonia acceded to the convention on 16 December 2019. Representatives of the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board and the Ministry of Culture participate in the work of the committee.
• The Anti-Doping Convention was ratified in 1989 by 35 member states of the Council of Europe. According to the Convention, the governments of the acceding countries combat doping with the help of control programmes. These programmes limit the activities of doping traffickers, develop doping tests and improve control tools. They also support information and education programmes and ensure that users of doping are effectively punished. Implementation of the Convention is monitored by the Monitoring Group of the Anti-Doping Convention. From Estonia, representatives of the Ministry of Culture and the Estonian Anti-Doping and Sports Ethics Foundation participate in the work of the Monitoring Group and the European Committee for WADA.

• In 2014, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe approved the Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions and its explanatory report. Estonia joined the convention in 2016 but has yet to ratify it. The convention creates an international legal framework to prevent and combat the manipulation of sports results. The purpose of the convention is to enhance international cooperation and create a monitoring mechanism to ensure that the provisions of the convention are followed.
• In 2020 Estonia joined the Group of Copenhagen, which has laid the foundations for transnational cooperation, thereby enabling the exchange of information, experience and expertise relevant to combating the manipulation of sporting competitions. The network's priorities are the following: to identify and highlight best practices; to provide practical support to existing national platforms to help consolidate and improve their systems; to support countries in setting up these national platforms; and to strengthen the institutional and professional capacity of national and international actors.

As a result of an administrative agreement concluded with the Ministry of Culture, the Estonian Center for Integrity in Sports, whose statutory objectives include combating the manipulation of sports results, is the contact organisation for the fight against match-fixing in Estonia.