The Luxembourg Olympic and Sports Committee (COSL) and the Ministerial Department of Sports (DMS) have announced that Luxembourg's Minister of Sport, Romain Schneider, together with the COSL President, André Hoffmann, have held a number of meetings, also involving with their delegations, on the issue of preparations to the Jeux des Petits Etats d’Europe (JPEE) which are scheduled to take place in Luxembourg in 2013.
The COSL and DMS are co-ordinating the planning of this major sporting event next Spring which requires regular collaboration with the country's government. The COSL and DMS hope to have the state as an official partner for the event and will shortly sign an agreement to this effect. The parties are working on developing a first document for the development of an overall concept for the event. Minister Schneider has unveiled a draft law whereby the state will subsidise the tenth five-year plan for sporting equipment which will be ready in January for parliamentary presentation and wider consultation.
To date, the working party has drawn up a provisional budget for the event as well as the reform of a training programme for coaches. Luxembourg will also participate in the Jeux de la Francophonie (Games for French-Speaking Countries) that will take place in Nice from 6 15 September 2013.
In addition, the COSL has responded to the proposed concept of a European Games proposed at the General Assembly of the European Olympic Committees (EOC) last week. It is not opposed to such an idea but has stated that there are too many questions left unanswered, including the level of sports competitions, selection criteria, a definitive sports programme, long-term financial impact, to name but a few.
