The challenge of HEPA for physical education in Europe

One of the priorities on the political agenda related to sport in the EU over the past years has been health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA). This political priority impacts also physical education (PE) as the only school subject where all students are physically active, in a sense that international recommendations on daily physical activity can at least be partly reached. In turn, European associations focusing on PE face challenges to address the priority of HEPA as part of their respective missions. However, HEPA can be considered as a chance for these associations to raise their profile and the profile of PE as a school subject when accentuating their potential to promote HEPA in school settings.
In the following, this chapter will focus on HEPA as a relevant political priority for PE in Europe, before focusing on two European associations active in the field of PE: the European Physical Education Association (EUPEA) and the European Council for Physical Education and Youth Sport (CEREPS, Conseil Européen des Recherches en Éducation Physique et Sportive). Roland Naul is an individual member of EUPEA and a founding member of CEREPS. Furthermore, the Willibald-Gebhardt Institute is an institution member of both EUPEA and CEREPS.