WRITTEN QUESTION E-2815/99

by Jan Wiersma (PSE) to the Commission

(18 January 2000)

Subject: The question of the Roma

1. In the context of enlargement the Commission is rightly giving priority to the question of better treatment of the Roma in a number of applicant countries. Would the Commission state precisely which problems need to be addressed?

2. Does it have an overview of the measures that have been taken in these countries to improve the situation of the Roma minority? In what way is the EU involved in these?

3. The above question is not intended to refer only to improved legislation but also to measures aimed at an integrated approach; education, information and awareness-raising measures, etc. Does the Commission have any knowledge of measures of this kind?

4. Is there any question of exchanges between the countries concerned? Do cooperation projects between these countries exist? Is the expertise of EU Member States in this area being used in this connection?

5. Does the Commission have any facts about problems relating to Roma resident in the present EU Member States?

6. Has the Commission formulated precise objectives to be achieved by the applicant countries?

7. Is it also prepared to invest in problems to improve the situation of the Roma itself?

8. Is it working together with the Council of Europe?

9. Do the Roma play a role in relations with the Ukraine and Moldavia?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(7 February 2000)

1. Of the applicant countries currently in accession negotiations with the Community, there are Roma minorities in the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. The most significant problems faced by the Roma population are discrimination, poor housing conditions and health standards, high levels of unemployment, low levels of education and segregation of Roma children within the school system.

2. and 3. In its composite paper of October 1999(1), reporting on progress towards accession by the applicant countries, the Commission states that while there have been encouraging developments in some of the candidate countries with the adoption of special programmes aimed at improving the situation of the Roma, a concerted effort is still required to ensure that these programmes are actually implemented. The Commission closely monitors the initiatives by the applicant countries to improve the Roma situation and reviews in its regular reports the concrete progress made by each of the applicant countries.

4. The applicant countries as well as the Member States participate and exchange expertise in the Council of Europe's Roma expert group and in other international fora dedicated to the Roma issue. The Commission is not aware of any current co-operation projects on Roma issues between the applicant countries.

5. The situation of Roma minorities in the Member States is monitored by the Council of Europe.

6. The Copenhagen criteria state that Membership requires that the candidate country has achieved stability of institutions guaranteeing [inter alia] human rights and respect for and protection of minorities [mldr]. The situation of the Roma is therefore taken into consideration in assessing the capacity of applicant countries to become members of the Union. The accession partnerships for Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia, adopted by the Council in December 1999(2), stipulate concrete measures for the further integration of Roma as a short-term priority.

7. The Phare programme is the main channel of Community support for Roma populations in the applicant countries. In 1998, around 3 million were committed under Phare to projects in support of the Roma communities in the five most concerned countries of central and eastern Europe. This figure reached 10 million in 1999. In addition, the European initiative for democracy and human rights, which is also managed by the Commission, provides support to the Roma in the candidate countries notably through projects presented by non-governmental organisations. Projects for Roma are also supported within the Socrates and Youth for Europe programmes. The brochure

EU support for Roma communities in central and eastern Europe is forwarded direct to the Honourable Member and to the Secretariat General of the Parliament. Further details are available on the website: http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/enlargement/index.htm.

8. The Commission participates in the Council of Europe's Roma expert group, which meets bi-annually. In 1999, an agreement was signed with the Council of Europe in order to promote close co-operation between the European monitoring centre on racism and xenophobia and the Commission against racism and intolerance (ECRI) of the Council of Europe. In this context, joint programmes have been proposed on the situation of the Roma in Europe.

9. The situation of the Roma minority is taken into account in the relations with Ukraine and Moldova and the Commission has supported programmes aimed at improving the situation of the Roma population in these countries.

(1) COM(99) 500 final.

(2) COM(99) 531 final, COM(99) 530 final, COM(99) 525 final, COM(99) 521 final.