INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
Anti-doping At the Commission’s European Sports Forum in September 2012, EHFA presented the results of the Fitness Against Doping (FAD) study to delegates from European governments, stakeholders and policy developers. There are voices at the Commission,
as well as powerful drug-enforcement agencies, who are promoting the ‘Danish solution’: in Denmark, all fitness clubs must pay a substantial annual levy to the Danish Anti Doping Authority, which then sends doping inspectors to health clubs to conduct drug testing on members. However, if this strategy were implemented Europe-wide, it would cost our industry an estimated €60–80m. EHFA is strongly voicing the sector’s
Germany now has self-regulated standards covering equipment-based training In Germany for example, after many
years of discussion, the industry has recently launched its own, self-regulated standards to cover general requirements for equipment-based strength training, equipment-based cardiovascular training and group training. The standards are explicit in terms of environmental considerations, the number of trainers required and their qualifications.
VAT and tax The EU Directorate General for Tax is reviewing all VAT laws, including those relating to fitness, and there has already been a round of consultations in which EHFA participated. The second round starts in January 2013, and EHFA will contact members for counsel on how to position our products and services in a way that will not lead to a higher VAT rate – indeed, that will hopefully see them lowered. EHFA is also working on pan-European research with consultancy Deloitte,
74 Health Club Handbook 2013
mapping the current situation in key EU countries in relation to all tax issues that affect fitness.
Promotion of physical activity EHFA is a member of the Platform for Diet and Physical Activity, organised by the EU’s Directorate General for Health and Consumers, and there are plans to co- ordinate a campaign at EU level to promote physical activity. EHFA will involve all of its national associations, and especially ukactive (formerly known as the FIA), which is taking a leading role based on the work of its Research Institute (see p44). In 2011, EHFA completed an important
piece of research into the health- enhancing benefits of physical activity, and the opportunities for the fitness sector to better engage and grow its business by promoting these. Fitness is growing closer to the health agenda, and raising the profile of fitness within the Commission is a strategic objective for EHFA.
opinion that this is not a good solution, and has set about changing direction and policy as part of a group of anti-doping experts that advises the EU Council and Commission. As part of the FAD project, EHFA developed a Code of Conduct on Anti-Doping – downloadable at
www.ehfa-programmes.eu – which covers four areas: educating professionals to combat doping, educating consumers to reject doping, researching the sector to build a responsible approach to doping, and co-operating at a European level.
For further information
The European Health & Fitness Association (EHFA) is a not-for-profit association. It currently represents around 10,000 facilities through more than 100 member organisations in 29 countries across Europe. Email:
herman.rutgers@
ehfa.eu Web:
www.ehfa.eu.com
www.healthclubhandbook.com
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