REPORT ON ERCO ANNUAL MEETING 2005

(20-24 OCTOBER, 2005 – PREDEAL/ROMANIA)

 The 3rd ERCO Meeting was held in Predeal-Romania between the dates of 20-24 October 2005 after the 2nd regional meeting took place in Antalya-Turkey in 2004. It was the third meeting of the region covering Balkan, Black Sea and Caucasus CISM member and non-member CISM countries. To this meeting of the region, 15 CISM and non-member CISM countries were invited.           The number of the participants was less than it was expected comparing to the second meeting.

According to the agenda of the meeting, it was carried out in 5 sessions in two days.

In the first session after roll call, new members were introduced to the participants and the accomplishments and goals of ERCO were introduced and second draft of Sub Strategic Regional Plan were established.

According to the 1st draft of ERCO Strategic Plan, it had been decided;

            -           To establish a sub-strategic regional plan covering a 5-10 years of management process,

            -           To collect data from the nations for a better management evaluation system,

            -           To strengthen the regional status of ERCO that will be more functional in the regulations. In this framework, it had been proposed to include and add “Regional Offices” in the CISM Regulations. 

            -           To provide more cooperation between delegations and National Sports Federations. For this purpose, establishing/finalizing the Balkan, Black Sea and Caucasus Military Sports Federation has been accepted.

-      To activate inactive nations and obtain new members to the region and CISM in order to increase the number of the CISM member nations. As for the Second Draft of the Regional Plan, it was updated and following issues were discussed and presentations were done.

            -           To provide more cooperation between delegations and National Sports Federations. For this purpose, establishing the Balkan, Black Sea and Caucasus Military Sports Federation was approved and decided to be finalized in the year of 2006. The aim here is to support and promote athletes serving in the military and to coordinate better military and civilian sports events.

            -           To strengthen the regional status of ERCO that will be more functional in the regulations. In this framework, it was proposed to include and add “Regional Offices” in the CISM Regulations. For this purpose a draft proposal were discussed approved and handed in to the European Vice-Presidency to be sent to the CISM Regulations Commission via CISM General Secretariat. The aim here is the official recognition of Regional Coordination Offices in the CISM Regulations after the completion of the regional ratification process as of November 2005.

            -           To identify “New Sports” for CISM Regional sports program. In this framework;

                        *          Romanian Delegation introduced a new sport branch called Dual Shooting practiced in Romania,

                        To promote women participation on the regional level mainly in Shooting, Pentathlons and if possible in Judo, Football and in others.

            -           To identify the military status of the athlete’s that is participating in CISM events and to give Military Athlete License by the General Secretariat of and include this issue to the agenda item of brainstorming of the next Continental Meeting of Europe,

            -           To implement a new championship program as of 1 February 2008 

            -           And finally in order to develop a new communication policy towards sport on a regional level, our website covering the region was decided to be completed linked with the new web site that is going to be managed by the Swedish Delegation. This website will enable us to promote the visibility of CISM Sports on a regional level and will also be used as a sort of digi-library as earlier proposed by the Romanian Delegation.

            Planning and determining the criteria for technical assistance and organization of study day/workshops during the regional championships were also emphasized and updated in the second draft of this regional strategic plan.

            The CISM Regional Annual plan depending on the Regional Strategic Plan will be completed till the General Assembly in 2006 and the regional issues will be updated. If necessary the regional business plan is discussed and is expected to approve during the Regional Meeting part in the Continental Meeting 2005 to be approved at the CISM General Assembly in 2006.

         In the 3 rd session of the meeting, some delegations made their presentations on the following issues;

         * Romanian Delegation about Romanian Armed Forces (RAF) sports activities in CISM,

         * Turkish Delegation about the 5th edition of the World Military Games, which are likely to be organized by the Turkish Armed Forces in Turkey in 2011,

         * Albanian Delegation about the propose to organize sports activities between the Military Schools of the region countries and the Military School cadets of the Albanian Armed Forces within a programmed plan,

            *          and finally by the Swedish Delegation about the selection of the Continental Vice President, sports structure of the CISM Swedish Delegation were introduced.

         In the 4 th session, the regional calendars for 2006 were updated. Therefore the next meeting of the region was offered to the Serbia and Montenegro and/or Azerbaijan and the official reply will be obtained and the work for this will be finalized till the Continental Meeting in Antalya October 2005.

         In the 5 th session Swedish Delegation was introduced and they informed the participants about the selection of the Continental Vice President, structure of the CISM Swedish Delegation and their future aims as EULOM. They were asked to send a copy of the Questionnaire about LO’s to ERCO to help and provide them in their new function in Europe.

            CONCLUSIONS:

         The 3rd meeting of the Balkan, Black Sea and Caucasus region was a success and beneficial in terms of CISM’s future as being decenteralized structure.

         The successor of the EULO, was also briefed on the activities of ERCO during the meeting.