EASE webinar explores the future of European social dialogue in sport
How can European social dialogue in sport be strengthened and made more sustainable?
This was the central question discussed during EASE’s webinar “Shaping a Sustainable European Social Dialogue in the Sport Sector”, held on 22 September 2026.
The webinar provided an opportunity to present the main findings of EASE’s latest study, Shaping a Sustainable European Social Dialogue in the Sport Sector, and to discuss the challenges, lessons from the past and possible ways forward for strengthening social dialogue across European sport.
A first European overview of social dialogue in sport
The research combines a review of the European institutional framework and existing literature with an analysis of the development of social dialogue in sport and, most importantly, 17 semi-structured interviews conducted between March and July 2026 with representatives of employers’ and workers’ organisations, researchers, legal experts and stakeholders with experience of European social dialogue.
The study responds to a significant gap in recent research. While a number of initiatives and studies have examined European social dialogue in sport in the past, there has been no recent comprehensive overview of how social dialogue has developed across the sector.
At the same time, the situation varies considerably between Member States, with limited comparable information on the organisations representing employers and workers, the existence of collective agreements, and the forms of social dialogue in place.
The objective of the study was therefore not to provide a definitive mapping of all 27 Member States, but rather to establish a first European overview combining the European perspective with an analysis of national realities.
Where do we stand today?
The webinar first looked at the current landscape of social partners in European sport.
On the employers’ side, EASE is currently the only European employers’ organisation specifically representing the sport sector. Established in 2003, EASE represents sport employers across professional sport, non-profit sport, and sports leisure and events. It currently brings together 11 members from eight Member States.
On the workers’ side, the European Athletes and Players Association (EAPA) brings together national athletes’ associations and players’ unions. Established in 2008 as EU Athletes, EAPA currently has 28 members from 14 European countries, representing more than 25,000 elite athletes.
The research also highlighted an important institutional gap.
There are currently 44 European Sectoral Social Dialogue Committees across different sectors. In sport, however, only professional football currently has a fully operational European Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee, established in 2008 and involving employers’ representatives and FIFPRO Europe, with UEFA also participating.
This demonstrates that European social dialogue can develop effectively where there is a clearly defined sector, recognised social partners and a sufficient level of organisation. However, there is currently no equivalent structure covering the sport sector as a whole.
What can we learn from the past?
The webinar then looked back at previous attempts to establish broader European social dialogue structures in sport.
Walter Palmer from the European Athletes and Players Association (EAPA) shared his perspective on the earlier development of European social dialogue in the sport sector and the first attempt to establish a broader Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee.
His contribution provided an important historical perspective on the experience of European social partners and on the factors that affected the sustainability of previous initiatives. This history is particularly relevant today, as several of the challenges identified in earlier initiatives remain relevant, while the sport sector and its labour market have evolved significantly since those first attempts.
What are the obstacles today?
The study identified a series of obstacles at both European and national level.
At European level, three main challenges emerged:
- The institutional framework and recognition of employment issues in sport: while social dialogue is recognised in the EU Treaties, the EU’s competence in sport is a supporting, coordinating and complementary competence. The study also highlights the different institutional perspectives of sport policy and employment/social dialogue, primarily covered by DG EAC and DG EMPL respectively.
- Representativeness: developing a sustainable European social dialogue structure requires representative social partners with a clear sectoral scope, meaningful national representation and sufficient organisational capacity.
- Political support and long-term resources: while European projects can support cooperation and capacity-building, they cannot replace the stable human and financial resources required to maintain organisations and develop long-term social dialogue.
At national level, the study found that Member States are starting from very different positions. Some countries, such as France, the Netherlands, Sweden and Italy, have relatively established structures, with sport recognised as a professional and economic sector and representative employers’ organisations and trade unions involved in collective bargaining.
In other countries, structures are developing, while in some cases social dialogue remains relatively weak or difficult to identify. The study also highlights that sport is not understood or organised as an economic sector in the same way across Europe. In some countries, its associative, educational, leisure or public-policy dimensions remain particularly prominent. This can make it more difficult to identify a common sectoral identity and representative social partners.
Finally, the capacity of national organisations is an important factor. Smaller organisations may have strong national expertise and networks but limited human and financial resources to engage consistently at European level.
The research therefore points to an important conclusion: European social dialogue cannot be built at European level alone.
National and European levels are mutually dependent. Stronger national representation can contribute to European representativeness, while European initiatives and structures can also help stimulate and strengthen social dialogue at national level.
What has EASE done so far?
The webinar then turned to the work already undertaken by EASE to strengthen European employer representation and contribute to the development of social dialogue in sport.
Christophe Grognard, representing EASE, presented the organisation’s work to date, including the development of networks across Europe and the Charting Europe project.
The project has enabled EASE to engage directly with stakeholders in different European countries, better understand national sport and employment ecosystems, identify existing or potential social partners, and explore opportunities to strengthen European representation. This grassroots approach is an important part of EASE’s strategy: rather than looking only at the European level, it involves engaging directly with national stakeholders and understanding the different realities in which social dialogue needs to develop. Christophe also highlighted EASE’s broader efforts to build its network and strengthen the conditions for future European social dialogue.
What should EASE do now?
The final part of the webinar focused on the way forward.
Based on the findings of the study, four priorities were identified for the coming years:
1. Build a stronger European voice
Employment and social dialogue should become a more visible part of European sport policy. This includes strengthening dialogue with European institutions, participating in consultations and institutional discussions, and developing greater cooperation between employers’ and workers’ organisations on issues of common interest.
2. Strengthen national representation
Because countries are starting from very different positions, a differentiated approach is needed. Established organisations can share expertise and good practices, while emerging organisations may need support to develop their capacity. In countries where social dialogue remains limited, the first step may be to raise awareness of sport as an economic sector and create the conditions for representation to emerge.
3. Continue the grassroots strategy
Building on initiatives such as Charting Europe, EASE can continue meeting stakeholders across Europe, developing a more systematic understanding of national sport employment and industrial relations systems, identifying potential social partners and following up with them over time.
4. Build the conditions for a new European social dialogue structure
The longer-term objective is to create the conditions for a sustainable European social dialogue structure covering the sport sector. The study suggests that this requires strengthening representativeness, developing cooperation between employers and workers, establishing common positions on concrete issues and creating regular opportunities for dialogue.
The long-term ambition is therefore not simply to reproduce an existing model, but to progressively build the conditions for a dialogue that could eventually cover the sport sector as a whole.
Continuing the discussion
The conversation does not end with the publication of the study. It is a starting point for the next stage of work: building stronger representation, strengthening cooperation between social partners and creating the conditions for a genuine European social dialogue in sport.