Pella (Anci), 5 proposals for inclusion through sport
A new model from the EU

«Sport is a social infrastructure for our communities and it is from the EU and its territories that a new European sports model must emerge, capable of promoting inclusion, social well-being and active participation of young people through sports practice".

These are the words of Roberto Pella, ANCI vice president, delegate for Sport and member of the Committee of the Regions, who spoke in Brussels at the European Parliament hearing on "The role of EU policies in defining the European sports model".

To achieve this goal, the ANCI vice president brought five proposals to the attention of the European Parliament's Sports Commission during a meeting that saw the presence of the European Commission, the current EU Council Presidency, and sector stakeholders.
The first proposal for Pella is the "temporary suspension from the Stability Pact for investments in sports infrastructure, to allow the enhancement, modernization, and improvement of European sports facilities. The second concerns the integration of inclusion objectives in the European Social Fund, aiming to use sport as a vehicle to achieve these objectives".

The third proposal is about "co-programming and co-design of a larger share of regional development funds, structural funds, and EU cohesion policies for small-scale interventions and playing fields. This would explicitly aim to promote grassroots sports in territories, with particular attention to outdoor infrastructure such as parks, green areas, and public spaces, especially in municipalities where sports facilities are developed and managed at the local level".

The fourth proposal is to enhance sports tourism through European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF), giving priority to activities such as running, walking, and cycling, or supporting innovative projects like Sport in Parks and Bikes in the Municipality, initiatives that in Italy, thanks to the interaction between the Ministry of Sport, Sport and Health, and ANCI, are experiencing exceptional participation from municipalities and sports societies".

Finally, "the creation of a physical and digital mapping of all existing sports facilities to facilitate access for all citizens, including city users and tourists. This would ensure that new or renovated facilities are geographically well-distributed within the European sports ecosystem".