Roma Strategy: Overwhelming support for the European Roma Strategy
"The social inclusion of the Roma is one of the most important strategic challenges that Europe faces and at the same time it provides one of the most promising opportunities for the continent", said Lívia Járóka MEP, Rapporteur of the EU Strategy on Roma Inclusion. Late last night, the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee (LIBE) of the European Parliament adopted Lívia Járóka's Report with an overwhelming majority. The adoption of a European Roma Strategy is one of the most important priorities of the Hungarian Presidency, which aims to launch the programme during its term.
The objectives of the document drafted by the only MEP of Roma origin were overwhelmingly supported by all the six political groups of the EP. Nearly 400 amendments were tabled and almost 40 compromise agreements were reached before voting, and four Opinions were considered from the committees on Employment and Social Affairs, Women's Rights and Gender Equality, Culture and Education, and Regional Development.
The Report calls on the Commission and the Council to develop a Community strategy on a firm legal basis for the social inclusion of the Roma, coordinated and monitored by the Community Institutions, which allows for an annual evaluation of results regarding the priorities and objectives detailed in the Report.
The document also urges drawing an EU-wide crisis map which measures and locates those micro-regions where poverty and social exclusion mostly affecting Roma communities is concentrated. Among others, the Report also proposes the adoption of common, comparable and reliable indicators and the adoption of an 'enlargement dimension', so that candidate countries and potential candidates could be associated in the Strategy.
"With the adoption of the Report in the LIBE Committee, we have taken a step closer to launching this Strategy which will enable the hopeless masses living in poverty today to become equal citizens of tomorrow", said Lívia Járóka MEP.
The plenary will vote on the Report in early March.
Related articles:
- Commissioner Jourová, awarding Andalusia prize for the EU Capital of Diversity and Inclusion: Roma are hardest hit during crises
- EU agrees rules to regulate social media content
- DEADLINE 31 JANUARY: Call to contribute to the Roma Civil Monitor 2021-2025 project
- The disinformation war in 2021: Main targets were Ukraine, COVID-19, and who is responsible for refugees
- Czech lower house to review Govt agreement with expansion of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency, which advises on racism and other matters
- Czech biologist says COVID-19 Omicron variant has no problem defeating our immunity
- MEPs who visited Romani settlements in Slovakia shocked to see such horrifying living conditions in the EU
- European Parliament will discuss police brutality against Romani people in EU, on the basis of Czech case
- Austria's Die Presse: Covert racism is why Europe's Roma are worse off after COVID-19 pandemic
- EU Fundamental Rights Agency and OSCE say governments must deliver aid to Roma affected by COVID-19 pandemic
- Zeljko Jovanovic: The New Roma Politics of Self-Determination and Unity
- LIVE BROADCAST NOW! EU Anti-Racism Summit