Kommission will ehrenamtliches Sport-Engagement messen[en] 

Most sport in the EU member states is run by volunteers but "due to societal and legal changes, it has become more difficult to recruit volunteers, particularly young ones, and there has been a drop in preparedness to voluntarily engage in an organisation," notes the Commission. 

The EU executive fears that together with the further commercialisation and professionalisation of sport, this development will have an impact on European sport structures, especially at the grassroots level. 

In November 2006, the EU sport ministers recognised "the specific nature" of non-profit sports organisations and agreed that the difference between voluntary non-profit sports organisations and profit-seeking business enterprises "should be taken into consideration in Community policies". 

An EU wide study on volunteering in the EU was launched in March 2009 to reach a better understanding on the matter in different member states and help determine the scope of possible future policies and actions which could be more effectively implemented at the European level rather than at national, regional or local level.

As part of a wider study on volunteering in the EU, an online survey on volunteering in sport was launched by the Commission last week (11 September).  

Ahead of the European Year of Volunteering in 2011, the survey will seek to ascertain the views of sports organisations, clubs and other stakeholders on key trends in volunteering. 

The themes covered include the regulatory framework for volunteering in sport, its socio-cultural dimension, and challenges and opportunities in the EU 27. 

More specifically, the survey tries to map whether there is specific legislation on the promotion or engagement of volunteers, and find out whether sports organisations benefit from specific tax regimes, exemptions or reduced VAT rates, for example. 

Stakeholders are also expected to spell out the problems they face when recruiting, retaining and replacing volunteers, as well as to shed light on the way in which the national regulatory frameworks in place affect sports volunteering in different countries.

The survey will help draft 27 national factsheets on volunteering in sport. The factsheets will present statistics and specific policies, and give details of regulatory and institutional arrangements, funding and the impact of sports volunteering for each member state. 

A report analysing the main findings contained in the factsheets will also be developed to table recommendations on volunteering in sports.

The European Youth and Sport Forum (EYSF) has called for the establishment of a "united system of promotion, support and recognition for volunteering in Europe" to structure and organise volunteering opportunities. They also want volunteering to be recognised and accredited within formal and non-formal education.