The Executive Committee was welcomed to Warsaw by Polish National Olympic Committee President and Executive Committee member Andrzej Kraśnicki.

Kocijančič then opened the meeting with his message of congratulations.

This year saw the staging of the European Games in Minsk, the summer and winter editions of the European Youth Olympic Festivals in Sarajevo and Baku, and the Games of the Small States of Europe in Budva. 

"We consider ourselves responsible for all sport in our continent and we have to be grateful to our organisers and continue to show that we are a strong community," Kocijančič said.

EOC secretary general Raffaele Pagnozzi reported on the activities of the head office, focusing on the production of a strategic document for the 2023 European Games which will outline the vision for the sports programme and operational effectiveness.

A discussion on the proposed amendments to the EOC Articles on Association in preparation for approval at the General Assembly tomorrow dominated the early proceedings.

Chair of the Coordination Commission Spyros Capralos delivered a final report from the Minsk 2019 European Games, together with a detailed media analysis, which will both be presented to the General Assembly.

The reports prompted interventions from Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) Secretary General Gunilla Lindberg, who informed Executive Committee members that a resolution underlining the importance of continental Games as part of the route to the Olympic Games was passed at the ANOC General Assembly in Doha last week.

In addition to reports from the EOC Commissions, a progress report on the 2021 European Youth Olympic Festival in the Slovakian city of Banská Bystrica was delivered.

The next EOC Executive Committee meeting will be held in Lausanne in January 2020, taking place alongside the 2020 Youth Olympic Games in the same city. 

The EOC General Assembly will take place here tomorrow and Saturday (September 26).