The European Sports Charter (ESC) is the Council of Europe standard which lays down the basic principles for national sports policies, allowing governments to support and provide opportunities for the practice of sport for all under well-defined conditions.

Adopted in 1992 and revised in 2001 and again in 2021 by the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, it inspires policy makers and provides guidelines to member states on how they can make their existing legislation or other sports policies more effective, and establish a comprehensive framework for sport. 

The ESC aims to promote inclusion in sport by advocating policies based on the right to sport, in order to foster greater participation and better performance at grassroots level and in elite and professional sport. 

It adopts a values-based model aimed at protecting human rights, education, integrity and sustainability in the practice of sport.

The ECS also highlights the importance of a multi-stakeholder approach and co-operation with public authorities, the sports movement and the professional sector.