Patrick Hickey, the President of the European Olympic Committees (EOC), revealed that the answers provided by the 49 members of the EOC will be then passed to a consultancy firm who will closely analyse the information provided before producing a report that will form the basis for whether to go ahead with the idea.

Hickey's plans to launch that the event, based upon the Asian Games and the Pan American Games, received the backing of International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge at the EOC Annual Assembly here.

"We were very pleased and encouraged by the speech Jaques Rogge gave to us during our conference," Hickey told insidethegames.

"The questionnaire goes out next week and we need to have all the big National Olympic Committees behind us for it to work."

Hickey has also spoken to the governing bodies of several European federations and is now seeking talks with the European Broadcasting Union.

"Without the European federations on board we can forget it," he admitted.

"From what I've heard a number of cities are already interested in hosting the event if we go ahead.

"We've had talks with the EU (European Union) and sponsors with a pan-European focus have also already approached us, which is obviously encouraging."

Hickey, though, insisted that the event if it is launched, will not be a mirror image of the Olympics for European countries, like the Pan American Games is for the Americas but will instead try to follow the model of the Asian Games which also includes sports like dancesport, board games and squash.

Between 15 and 18 sports are expected to be included on the Games programme.

"We are trying not to model it on the Olympic Games," said Hickey.

"We are open to the possibility of it including non-Olympic sports."

Hickey is hoping that he can report back to the EOC General Assembly in Sochi next year with a more detailed proposal.

"In the end they are the only ones who can give the authority to proceed," he said.

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