During the plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels (8-11 February 2021), MEPs debate the impact of Covid-19 on youth and on sport. MEPs call on the Commission and member states to increase their efforts to prevent the pandemic from having lasting negative effects on young people and the sports sector. Extracts from the statement during the debate by Sabine VERHEYEN (EPP, DE), rapporteur (08/02), statement by former football player and MEP, Tomasz FRANKOWSKI (EPP, PL), vote and illustration part.

Brussels

statement

debate

plenary session

vote

GABRIEL, Mariya (EPP, BG, EC)

VERHEYEN, Sabine (EPP, DE)

sport

FRANKOWSKI, Tomasz (EPP, PL)

FARRENG, Laurence (Renew, FR)

RIBA I GINER, Diana (Greens/EFA, ES)

Coronavirus outbreak (T)

social life (T)

The impact of Covid-19 on youth and on sport: extracts from the debate (08/02), statement by Tomasz FRANKOWSKI (EPP, PL) and extracts from the vote

Title: The impact of Covid-19 on youth and on sport: extracts from the debate (08/02), statement by Tomasz FRANKOWSKI (EPP, PL) and extracts from the vote (I-202020)

SOUNDBITE (German), Sabine VERHEYEN (EPP, DE), rapporteur , The resolution proposes a series of measures to tackle the catastrophic impact that the pandemic has had on young people and particular beefed up financial support for the most vulnerable, but also greater flexibility when it comes to support for education systems across the EU. All types of education, vocational training, formal, informal learning. We need to be looking at all this. We call on the Commission and Member states to galvanise all available EU programmes and funds to support the digital transition, to modernise the formal learning pathways, and to help young people.

SOUNDBITE (German), Sabine VERHEYEN (EPP, DE), Rapporteur , The second part of the resolution deals with the devastating impact that the pandemic has had on professional and grassroots sports. We need to do our utmost to limit the damage to the sports sector in terms of the economic and employment impact, but also the way it affects society.

SOUNDBITE (German), Sabine VERHEYEN (EPP, DE), Rapporteur , We call on the Commission to coordinate all measures to address the impact of the pandemic on sport through a dedicated EU action plan, the recovery instruments adopted by the EU in response to the crisis must be used to offer short term support to the sports sector and to help our young people.

SOUNDBITE (French), Mariya GABRIEL, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Thanks to your efforts this chapter is the source of specific support for sport, there will be more money for this sector.

SOUNDBITE (French), Laurence FARRENG (RE, FR), We want to see measures for education, some 10 percent of National recovery plans. We want to ensure access for young people to sustainable, well-paid jobs. We also call on Member states to fight against discrimination that affects the most vulnerable young LGBT people, young women and young migrants.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Diana RIBA I GINER (Greens/EFA, ES), Dear Madame Commissioner, the Commission and Member states need to guarantee a minimum wage that doesn't discriminate according to age and put an end to the pseudo self-employed situations and to make sure that work is really correctly paid, Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (English), Tomasz FRANKOWSKI (EPP, PL), former professional football player, We need some concrete actions: the Eruopean sport model needs to be preserved and promoted. Solidarity is more important, especially for the grassroots sport. It is also crucial to start a dialogue with the sport federations and Member States, to discuss possiblitties of safe reopening stadiums for sport events like for example 'Euro' this year. We need a coordinated European approach for the attendance of stadia, travel restrictions and COVID-19 testing. 

SOUNDBITE (English), Tomasz FRANKOWSKI (EPP, PL), We ask the Commission to develop a European approach to include short and long term measures in the upcoming EU Work plan for Sport. We need to support sports from the National funds, the EU structural funds and recovery and resilience National palns, as well as the EU Health programme. As we have also more funds in the Erasmus Plus Programme, we should use them to help the sport sector to recover. All solutions should be targeted not only to professional but also to grassroots sport.

vote result panel on the resolution, 1 shot - The resolution was adopted on Wednesday by 592 votes in favour, 42 against and 57 abstentions.

Illustration part: Exterior views of athletism, Brussels, (5 shots), Interior, vocational training, (1 shot), exterior, grassroot sport club, rugby club Brussels, training session, (3 shots)