Concerted action by the European Commission
has put Roma integration firmly on the political agenda across Europe. The first
signs of improvement in the lives of Roma are slowly starting to show, says a
new report unveiled today on Member States’ progress achieved under the EU
Framework for national Roma strategies.
The EU Framework which EU leaders signed up
to in 2011 (IP/11/789)
put in place – for the first time ever – a solid process for coordinating action
on Roma integration. Two years later, the national Ministers unanimously adopted
the first ever legal instrument for Roma inclusion at EU-level and committed to
implementing a set of recommendations from the Commission aiming to reduce
social inequalities between Roma and the rest of the population within four
areas: education, employment, healthcare and housing (IP/13/1226).
Today’s Commission reports assess progress
made under the EU framework since 2011 and identify both positive examples and
areas for further efforts from Member States. While challenges remain,
improvements are visible: more Roma children attend pre-school, mentoring
programmes to help Roma find work are increasingly in place, as well as mediator
programmes to bridge gaps between Roma and non-Roma communities in housing and
access to healthcare. Thanks to the new EU Regulations on the use of EU funds
Member States need to dedicate 20% of money from the European Social Fund to
social inclusion in the 2014-20 period.
"Four years ago, the
topic of Roma integration was nowhere to be seen on the radar of most Member
States. Now, thanks to concerted action, we are
witnessing a wind of change," said Vice-President Viviane Reding, the
EU’s Justice Commissioner . "The EU Framework for national
Roma integration strategies was a landmark achievement in gaining commitments
from national governments at the highest level to work towards improving Roma
integration. Of course, we cannot reverse centuries of exclusion and
discrimination overnight, but having put the issue firmly on Europe’s political
agenda, we are seeing improvements. Three years down the line pre-school
attendance of Roma children is increasing for example. As a next step, I could
imagine more targeted rules and a funding facility specifically dedicated to
Roma – to ensure funding gets to where it is needed.”
"To make a difference to the lives
of Europe’s marginalised Roma communities, we have to ensure that adequate funds
are used effectively to support National Roma Integration Strategies. Member
States should also take integration of Roma into account when developing
education, employment, healthcare and housing policies",
said László Andor, European Commissioner for
Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion. " Now
is the time for Member States to ensure that Roma inclusion is a priority for
spending EU funds in the forthcoming seven year financial period."
Although Roma communities continue to face
poverty, social exclusion and discrimination, today’s report presents progress
in the 28 Member States. Key findings include:
Education :
There has been good progress in ensuring that all Roma children complete at
least their primary school education, including an increase in pre-school
participation in Finland from 2% to 60%; a new
law in Hungary to make two years of pre-school
compulsory for all children; a similar two-year obligatory pre-school period
in Bulgaria ; and ‘travelling teachers’ who move
with Traveller communities in Ireland . At the
same time, more efforts will be needed to tackle the issue of segregation in
mainstream schools in several EU countries.Employment :
Over the past four years there have been some attempts to improve the
employability of Roma, but too rarely combined with systematic measures
targeting the demand side of the labour market by fighting discrimination
and incentivising employers. Some promising practices include: training
mentors for Roma looking for work in Austria ;
EU-funded Roma employment mediators in Finland ; a
programme for work counsellors in Spain .Housing :
Member States have been making strides in promoting Roma inclusion as a
two-way street for Roma and non-Roma communities, but small scale projects
need to be rolled out Europe-wide to bring about results. Good practices
include: 38 housing mediators in Belgium ; a local
taskforce in Berlin, Germany , to get Roma
accepted as neighbours and integrated into the community.Health :
Several countries have focused on improving access to healthcare for the
most vulnerable Roma, including a commitment by the government in
France to reduce financial barriers to healthcare
and investment in health mediators for the Roma community in
Romania and Spain .
Ensuring basic health coverage is still a challenge in some Member States.Discrimination :
Commission action has ensured a strong legal framework is in place in all
Member States to tackle discrimination, but countries need to reinforce
their efforts to apply and enforce the legislation on the ground (IP/14/27).
National equality bodies have a crucial role in doing this.
Slovakia has introduced temporary positive action
measures for Roma.Funding :
Allocating sufficient funding to Roma integration remains a challenge. For
the first time, 20% of the European Social Fund available to Member States
for their programmes must be dedicated to social inclusion, up from the
current average of 15%. For the post 2020 financing period, the Commission
will explore ways to further improve and make more effective financial
support for Roma including through, for example, a specific facility. More
country-specific examples can be found in the
national factsheets.
EU Roma Summit
This assessment comes as local, national
and EU politicians gather with representatives of civil society to discuss
advances on Roma integration at the
third
EU-level Roma Summit. The aim is to take stock of how the national Roma
strategies submitted by Member States on an annual basis as a result of the EU
Framework are being implemented and if they are improving the life of Roma
communities. Around 500 representatives of EU institutions, national governments
and parliaments, international organisations, civil society (including Roma
organisations) and local and regional authorities will express their views on
what has been achieved so far and how to further improve Roma integration in the
future. More information on the agenda, topics and participants of the Roma
Summit can be found here:
IP/14/317.
Background
Roma integration is more than a social
inclusion issue. It also has a positive economic impact, in particular in those
Member States with a large Roma minority. Roma represent a significant and
growing proportion of the school age population and the future workforce in many
countries. Efficient labour activation policies and individualised and
accessible support services for Roma job seekers are crucial to allow Roma
people to realise their human capital and to actively and equally participate in
the economy and society.
The social inclusion and integration of
Roma communities is a joint responsibility of Member States and the European
Union. The Commission monitors progress made by Member States through the EU
Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies (IP/11/400,
MEMO/11/216). It also regularly brings together a network of coordinators
responsible for overseeing the national Roma integration strategies from all 28
EU countries to discuss progress and challenges ahead (MEMO/14/107).
In its 2013 report, the European Commission
called on EU Member States to implement their national strategies to advance the
economic and social integration of Roma in Europe ( IP/13/607 ) .
The findings are also used for the annual European Semester process for
socio-economic policy coordination which can result in the EU issuing
Roma-relevant country specific recommendations. This annual cycle helps to
ensure that Roma integration remains firmly and continuously on the European
agenda and that mainstream policies do not go against Roma inclusion goals. In
2013 five Member States received country-specific recommendations on the
implementation of National Roma Integration Strategies and on mainstreaming
Roma-specific measures (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia).
EU funds are available to Member States to
finance social integration projects, including for improving Roma integration in
fields such as education, employment, housing and health. Around €26.5 billion
was made available for social inclusion projects as a whole from 2007-2013.
Under the new financial period 2014-2020, at least €80 billion will be allocated
to investment in human capital, employment and social inclusion through the
European Social Fund. At least 20% of the European Social Fund allocation
(around €16 billion) must now be earmarked for social inclusion. The aim is to
secure the appropriate financial resources for Roma integration. Member States
are responsible for managing these funds. To help, the Commission provided
guidance
to Member States on how their Operational Programmes for
spending EU funds and projects for Roma inclusion should be designed in order to
ensure an inclusive approach and to better address Roma needs.
