Recent meetings
No recorded meetings with EU commissioners.
Mission & Goals
OPES APS is a Sports Promotion Organization recognized by CONI (National Olympic Committee) and CIP Italian Paralympic Committee), it is recognised by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies as third sector entity and by the Mionistry of Environment as Environmental Protection Association. OPES promotes and organizes, on a non-profit basis, small and large-scale sporting, cultural, social promotion, volunteer, educational, and recreational events and projects at local, national, and international levels. Its goal is to foster integration, social inclusion, education, community, and all those values that can benefit the community. We believe in sport as a means of transmitting values and as a training ground for life that teaches us to socialize and grow, to commit and challenge ourselves with our limits. MISSION: Develop inclusive and sustainable programs for sports, social activities, and culture in Italy and abroad. VISION: Inspiring sport and the third sector. Together.
EU Legislative Interests
- EU Work Plan on Sport, - European Model of Sport, - European Week of PSort, - the European Pillar of Social Rights, - HEPA & HealthyLifeStyle4All initiative, - EU Gender Equality Strategy, - Youth Goals and EU Work Plan for Youth, - EU Disability Strategy - MFF - Eramus+ program
Communication Activities
The communication ecosystem of OPES is designed to translate complex European directives into tangible, local actions that resonate with citizens, athletes, and policymakers alike. At the heart of this strategy is the conviction that effective communication is not merely about visibility, but about cultural transformation and social advocacy. One of the primary pillars of this activity is the organization of high-impact events that align with the European Model of Sport and European Week of Sport. These events, such as the National Days of Sport or specific regional tournaments, are structured to promote grassroots participation, integrity, and the educational value of physical activity. In 2024, OPES significantly increased its efforts to ensure these events were not isolated occurrences but part of a broader narrative of inclusion. For instance, the communication surrounding these events emphasizes "Sport for All," directly supporting the EU’s HealthyLifeStyle4All initiative. By utilizing a mix of traditional media and sophisticated digital storytelling, OPES ensures that the message of healthy living reaches diverse demographic groups, from children in primary schools to the elderly in urban centers. Furthermore, the organization’s publication strategy serves as a critical bridge between academic research and field application. OPES produces a series of technical manuals, white papers, and guidelines that focus on social inclusion, the professionalization of sports coaches, and the management of non-profit associations. These publications are often the result of international collaborations within the Erasmus+ Sport framework, particularly projects like SURE (Sport for Unity, Resilience and Empowerment). By disseminating these results, OPES contributes to the European policy discourse on how sport can be used as a tool for community resilience. These documents are not just reports; they are advocacy tools designed to influence local and national legislation in favor of the Third Sector. They provide evidence-based data on the Social Return on Investment (SROI) of sports programs, demonstrating to public administrations the fiscal and social benefits of supporting grassroots sports. This alignment with the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) objectives ensures that the organization’s communication is both technically rigorous and politically relevant. In the digital sphere, OPES has launched several multi-channel campaigns aimed at promoting the "Twin Transition"—the green and digital evolution championed by the European Commission. The "Green Sport" campaign is a standout example, using social media, webinars, and interactive toolkits to educate sports clubs on environmental sustainability. This activity directly intersects with the European Green Deal, encouraging associations to reduce plastic waste, improve energy efficiency in their facilities, and promote eco-friendly transport for athletes. Simultaneously, OPES utilizes its digital platforms to provide continuous training and support for its network of over ten thousand affiliates, facilitating their transition into the Single National Registry of the Third Sector (RUNTS). This digital communication strategy is vital for maintaining the cohesion of a vast network, ensuring that even the smallest local club is informed about European regulatory changes and funding opportunities. The Universal Civic Service remains a cornerstone of OPES’s communication and engagement strategy. Through dedicated campaigns aimed at young Italians, OPES promotes civic service as a transformative experience and shares testimonials of our volunteers in Italy and abroad (around 1500 young people involved yearly).
Interests Represented
Does not represent commercial interests
Member Of
The institutional positioning of OPES Aps as a primary Third Sector Network and National Sports Promotion Body is defined by a vast and prestigious ecosystem of memberships, affiliations, and strategic partnerships that span from the local level to the highest echelons of European and international governance. OPES operates within a sophisticated framework of inter-institutional cooperation, ensuring that its mission is aligned with the most influential bodies in sport, social third-sector activities, and civic engagement. At the national level in Italy, OPES holds the status of a recognized National Sports Promotion Body (EPS), officially accredited by CONI https://www.coni.it/it/enti-di-promozione-sportiva.html and the CIP (https://www.comitatoparalimpico.it/organizzazione/organismi-sportivi/enti-di-promozione-sportiva-paralimpica.html). These fundamental affiliations place OPES at the heart of the Italian sports system, allowing it to act as a bridge between high-level sports governance and grassroots associations. Furthermore, following the reform of the Third Sector, OPES is a registered National Network of the Third Sector (Rete Associativa Nazionale) within the Single National Registry of the Third Sector (https://servizi.lavoro.gov.it/runts/it-it/Ricerca-enti/Ente), a position that grants it the authority to represent and support thousands of affiliated entities in their legal, fiscal, and social development. The organization’s commitment to social utility and community service is further demonstrated through its prominent role and its membership within the Forum del Terzo Settore, the main representative body for the Italian non-profit world https://www.forumterzosettore.it/organizzazioni/. Through these memberships, OPES contributes to national policy-making regarding volunteering, social inclusion, and the welfare state. On a national level OPES is also -Social Promotion Association (APS) registered in the National Register of Social Promotion Associations of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policies; -Universal Civil Service Organization recognized by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers – Department for Youth Policies and Universal Civil Service. -Training Organization for School Staff of all levels recognized by the Ministry of Education, University and Research with DDG 186 of June 15, 2016; -Professional Training Organization accredited by the Lazio Region with Resolution No. G02518 of March 6, 2019; -U.N.A.R. (National Office Against Racial Discrimination) accredited organization, registered in the "Online Register of Associations and Organizations Carrying Out Activities in the Field of Combating Discrimination" pursuant to Article 6 of Legislative Decree No. 196 of July 9, 2003. 215 with the number 1435. -It is recognized by the Ministry of the Interior as a National Welfare Organization with Decree No. 557/PAS/U000007/1200.E.A.(201) of January 21, 2025. -Environmental Protection Association pursuant to and for the purposes of Article 13 of Law No. 349/86, recognition obtained on November 18, 2025. On the international and EU stage, OPES has consolidated its role as a key player in the advocacy for grassroots sports and social resilience. A cornerstone of this international strategy is its OPES is member in: 1) ENGSO (the European Non-Governmental Sports Organisation). As a member of ENGSO, OPES collaborates with other national sports organizations across Europe to influence EU sports policy and promote the European Model of Sport; 2) TAFISA (The Association For International Sport for All), which aligns with its mission to democratize sports access for everyone globally. 3) EAS (European Athlete as Student Network) which aligns with the mission of ensuring fair and equal access to education in and thorugh sport.
Organisation Members
To provide a truly exhaustive and deep-dive exploration into the organizational fabric of OPES Aps, we must look at it not as a static list of names, but as a living, breathing ecosystem that has spent decades weaving together the threads of Italian social life, European innovation, and grassroots activism. When we discuss our members and the entities that orbit our mission, we are talking about a network that facilitates the daily aspirations of nearly a million citizens, a feat made possible only through a highly sophisticated and multi-layered structure of affiliation and strategic partnership. At the very foundation of this massive architecture are around ten thousands of Amateur Sports Associations (ASD) and Amateur Sports Societies (SSD) across all regions of Italy that constitute the primary membership of the organization. These are the front-line workers of social inclusion, the local gyms, the neighborhood football pitches, the dance studios, and the martial arts dojos where the values of respect, discipline, and community are taught every single day. Each of these entities, while legally independent, chooses to affiliate with our network to gain access to a shared vision of sport as a tool for human growth rather than just physical competition. This membership base is incredibly diverse, ranging from small volunteer-led clubs in rural mountain villages to high-tech urban sports centers, all of them unified by a common legal and ethical framework. Moving upward from the grassroots, the organizational complexity increases through our peripheral structures. The network is divided into OPES Regional and Provincial Committees, which act as the vital connective tissue between local needs and national strategy. These committees are not merely administrative offices; they are hubs of expertise that provide essential services to our members, including fiscal consultancy, legal protection, and training for sports managers. They ensure that every member, no matter how small, has the resources to navigate the complexities of the modern Italian legal landscape, particularly following the recent and transformative reforms of the Third Sector. This reform has fundamentally reshaped our identity, as our membership now increasingly includes a wide variety of Third Sector Entities (ETS), such as Social Promotion Associations (APS) and Volunteer Organizations (OdV). These entities have expanded our scope far beyond traditional athletics, bringing into our fold specialists in civil protection, environmental conservation, and non-formal education for youth, thereby creating a multidisciplinary environment where a basketball coach might work alongside an environmental activist to create a community program for sustainable living. The institutional weight of our organization is further anchored by our official recognition and ongoing collaboration with the most prestigious bodies in the country. We operate under the permanent recognition of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) and the Italian Paralympic Committee (CIP), which validates our technical excellence and our commitment to making sport accessible to people of all abilities. Furthermore, our status as a National Social Promotion Association, recognized by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies, allows us to act as a bridge between the private social sector and public administration, often partnering with Sport e Salute S.p.A. to implement large-scale public health initiatives. This domestic network is vast, encompassing partnerships with universities, health agencies, and local municipalities, all of which are considered "affiliated entities" in the sense that they share in the co-design and execution of our social projects. All our members are officially registered and declared within the CONI, CIP and RUNTS registers so they are officially consultable through their official register and we do not replicate their contacts in our website to avoid break of GDPR rules.