Welcome to the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS) website. Set up on 11 May 2007, it counts 34 member states.

Most European sport is organised across a geographical area which virtually matches that of the 49 Parties to the European Cultural Convention. The states concerned share not only a cultural and political heritage, but also a pattern of sporting activity. Hence it is no surprise that they feel the need to co-operate at pan-European level within EPAS, so that they can pool their ideas about sport policy.

Following the 11th Council of Europe Conference of Ministers responsible for Sport, organised by EPAS from 10 to 12 December 2008, the Partial Agreement was asked to publish its study of the autonomy of sport, and to disseminate the findings.

EPAS continues to promote the ethics of sport by updating the Code of Sports Ethics and identifies new international standards in areas where new challenges arise to sports ethics, especially with regard to the trafficking of young players and corruption.

2009 saw the launch of a number of events and projects. The Consultative Committee facilitated exchanges between states and sports organisations, and offered support and advice for a number of intergovernmental initiatives.

On 13 October 2010, after three years of existence, the Committee of Ministers established the EPAS on a permanent basis. Following the accession of Morocco as the first extra-European state, it now counts 34 member states eight new sports organisations joined its Consultative Committee.

EPAS activities focused on standard development (draft recommendations on the fight against manipulation of sports results, as well as on migrationin sport and the protection of minors). Another priority theme was the promotion of diversity and the fight against discrimination in sport.

The EPAS organised the 18^th Informal Conference of Ministers responsible for sport in Baku (Azerbaïjan), which had as its major theme the promotion of sport’s integrity against manipulation of results. The Conference was also supported a stronger co-operation between the Council of Europe and the European Union in the sport sphere.

I hope that you will enjoy your visit to the EPAS website and invite you to send us your possible comments.