27 Jan 2014

European Commission reveals importance of sport to European economy

European Commission reveals importance of sport to European economy news article image

A memorandum from the European Commission reveals that sport, in its broadest sense, adds €294 billion in gross value to the EU economy.

The memorandum also reveals:

  • 4.5 million people in Europe are directly employed in sport – that’s 2.1% of the total EU workforce
  • twelve to 15 million international trips are made worldwide each year for the main purpose of watching sporting events
  • sport is a growth engine for the wider economy – generating value added and jobs across a range of sectors including manufacturing and services, as well as stimulating development and innovation.

For more information about the economic impact of sport in the EU visit the European Commission website.

To find out more about our European policy work visit our policy pages.

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