The Sport Division is pleased to announce the start of the new European Union and Council of Europe joint project “Balance S4 - Strengthening the Safety and Service pillars of the Saint-Denis Convention”.

It aims to support Council of Europe member states in reinforcing the implementation of the safety and service pillars of the Saint-Denis Convention at national level, in order to strike the right balance with its security pillar. The project is co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe’s Sport Division for 21 months, from January 2024 until September 2025.

Developed within the framework of the Saint-Denis Convention, the project is built on the observation that most of the member states’ knowledge and expertise to date relates to the security pillar. In light of the Convention’s integrated approach of safety, security and service at sports events, it is now important to reinforce the safety and service pillars to achieve the necessary balance between these three interrelated areas.

Therefore, the overall objective of “Balance S4” is to assist national public authorities and other stakeholders in the strengthening and harmonising policies in the fields of safety, security and service at sports events in Europe, and in their effective implementation.

Ultimately, Balance S4 aims to ensure that spectators, athletes, staff, referees and other participants can feel safe, secure and welcome when attending sports events. They will be the ultimate beneficiaries of the further development of the safety and service pillars in the Council of Europe member states.