COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS An EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies up to 2020
Date: 2011-04-05
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Roma, rights of minorities, social integration, social rights

EN 

EN 

   EN 

 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Brussels, 5.4.2011 
COM(2011) 173 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

An EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies up to 2020 

EN 

   EN 

 
 
  
1. 

IMPROVING THE SITUATION OF ROMA: A SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPERATIVE FOR 
THE UNION AND ITS MEMBER STATES 

Many  of  the  estimated  10-12  million1  Roma  in  Europe  face  prejudice,  intolerance, 
discrimination and social exclusion in their daily lives. They are marginalised and live in very 
poor  socio-economic  conditions.  This  is  not  acceptable  in  the  European  Union  (EU)  at  the 
beginning of the 21st century.  

The  EU's  Europe  2020  strategy  for  a  new  growth  path  –  smart,  sustainable  and  inclusive 
growth  –  leaves  no  room  for  the  persistent  economic  and  social  marginalisation  of  what 
constitutes Europe's largest minority. Determined action, in active dialogue with the Roma, is 
needed both at national and EU level. While primary responsibility for that action rests with 
public  authorities,  it  remains  a  challenge  given  that  the  social  and  economic  integration  of 
Roma is a two-way process which requires a change of mindsets of the majority of the people 
as well as of members of the Roma communities2. 

First of all, Member States need to ensure that Roma are not discriminated against but treated 
like any other EU citizens with equal access to all fundamental rights as enshrined in the EU 
Charter  of  Fundamental  Rights.  In  addition,  action  is  needed  to  break  the  vicious  cycle  of 
poverty moving from one generation to the next. In many Member States, Roma represent a 
significant  and  growing  proportion  of  the  school  age  population  and  therefore  the  future 
workforce. The Roma population is young: 35.7% are under 15 compared to 15.7% of the EU 
population  overall.  The  average  age  is  25  among  Roma,  compared  with  40  across  the  EU3. 
The  vast  majority  of  working-age  Roma  lack  the  education  needed  to  find  good  jobs.  It  is 
therefore of crucial importance to invest in the education of Roma children to allow them later 
on  to  successfully  enter  the  labour  market.  In  Member  States  with  significant  Roma 
populations, this already has an economic impact. According to estimates, in Bulgaria, about 
23% of new labour entrants are Roma, in Romania, about 21%4. 

A  significant  number  of  Roma  living  in  the  EU  are  legally  residing  third-country  nationals. 
They share the same severe living conditions as many Roma holding EU citizenship, whilst 
facing  also  challenges  of  migrants  coming  from  outside  the  EU.  These  challenges  are 
addressed  in  the  context  of  EU  policies  to  stimulate  integration  of  third-country  nationals, 
while taking into account the needs of especially vulnerable groups5.  

Integrating  the  Roma  people  will  not  only  bring  social  benefits,  but  will  also  economically 
benefit both Roma people as well as the communities they are part of. According to a recent 

1 

2 
3 

4 

5 

The term “Roma” is used – similarly to other political documents of the European Parliament and the 
European  Council  –  as  an  umbrella  which  includes  groups  of  people  who  have  more  or  less  similar 
cultural characteristics, such as Sinti, Travellers, Kalé, Gens du voyage, etc. whether sedentary or not; 
around 80% of Roma are estimated to be sedentary (SEC(2010)400). 
COM(2010) 133, p.5. 
Fundación Secretariado Gitano, Health and the Roma community, analysis of the situation in Europe, 
2009. The study looks at Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Greece, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Spain.  
World  Bank, Roma  Inclusion:  An  Economic  Opportunity  for  Bulgaria, the  Czech  Republic,  Romania 
and Serbia, September 2010. 
A Communication on a European Agenda for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals is foreseen in 
2011. 

EN 

2 

   EN 

                                                 
research by the World Bank6, for instance, full Roma integration in the labour market could 
bring  economic  benefits  estimated  to  be  around  € 0.5  billion  annually  for  some  countries.  
Greater  participation  of  Roma  in  the  labour  market  would  improve  economic  productivity, 
reduce  government  payments  for  social  assistance  and  increase  revenue  from  income  taxes. 
According to the same World Bank study, the tax benefits of Roma integration in the labour 
market are estimated to be around € 175 million  annually per country. All of these important 
economic  and  financial  consequences  of  Roma  integration  could  in  turn  foster  a  climate  of 
greater openness to the Roma people with the general public and thereby contribute to their 
smooth integration in the communities of which they are part of. 

Economic integration of the Roma will also contribute to social cohesion and improve respect 
for  fundamental  rights,  including  the  rights  of  persons  belonging  to  minorities,  and  help 
eliminating  discrimination  based  on  someone’s  race,  colour,  ethnic,  social  origin  or 
membership of a minority7. 

The EU has made several proposals for Member States to promote the social and economic 
integration of Roma, most recently in its Communication of April 20108. Member States are 
already under an obligation to give Roma (like other EU citizens) non-discriminatory access 
to  education,  employment,  vocational  training,  healthcare,  social  protection  and  housing 
through  Directive  2000/43/EC.  The  rigorous  monitoring  of  the  implementation  of  this 
Directive can be a useful instrument for measuring the integration of Roma9.  

In spite of some progress achieved both in the Member States and at EU level10 over the past 
years,  little  has  changed  in  the  day-to-day  situation  of  most  of  the  Roma.  According  to  the 
Commission's Roma Task Force findings11, strong and proportionate measures are still not yet 
in  place  to  tackle  the  social  and  economic  problems  of  a  large  part  of  the  EU's  Roma 
population.  

To address this challenge, and since non-discrimination alone is not sufficient to combat the 
social  exclusion  of  Roma,  the  Commission  asks  the  EU  institutions  to  endorse  this  EU 
Framework  for  National  Roma  Integration  Strategies.  It  is  a  means  to  complement  and 
reinforce  the  EU's  equality  legislation  and  policies  by  addressing,  at  national,  regional  and 
local level, but also through dialogue with and participation of the Roma, the specific needs of 
Roma regarding equal access to employment, education, housing and healthcare. 

This EU Framework seeks to make a tangible difference to Roma people's lives. It is the 
EU's  response  to  the  current  situation  and  does  not  replace  Member  States'  primary 
responsibility  in  this  regard.  With  this  EU  Framework,  the  European  Commission 
encourages  Member  States,  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  Roma  population  living  in 

6 

7 

8 
9 

10 
11 

World  Bank, Roma  Inclusion:  An  Economic  Opportunity  for  Bulgaria, the  Czech  Republic,  Romania 
and Serbia, September 2010. 
Treaty  on  the European Union,  Article  2  and  Charter of Fundamental  Rights  of  the European Union, 
Article 21. 
COM(2010) 133, The social and economic integration of the Roma in Europe. 
Council Directive 2000/43/EC of 29 June 2000 implementing the principle of equal treatment between 
persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin (OJ L 180, 19.7.2009). 
COM(2010) 133, section 2. 
The  Commission  Roma  Task  Force  was  created  on  7  September  2010  to  streamline,  assess  and 
benchmark the use (including the effectiveness) of EU funds by all Member States for Roma integration 
and identify underpinning deficiencies in the use of funds. 

EN 

3 

   EN 

                                                 
their territories12 and taking into account their different starting points, to adopt or to 
develop  further  a  comprehensive  approach  to  Roma  integration  and  endorse  the 
following goals. 

2. 

A  NEED  FOR  A  TARGETED  APPROACH:  AN EU  FRAMEWORK  FOR  NATIONAL ROMA 
INTEGRATION STRATEGIES  

To achieve significant progress towards Roma integration, it is now crucial to step up a gear 
and ensure that national, regional and local integration policies focus on Roma in a clear and 
specific  way,  and  address  the  needs  of  Roma  with  explicit  measures  to  prevent  and 
compensate for disadvantages they face. A targeted approach, within the broader strategy to 
fight against poverty and exclusion – which does not exclude other vulnerable and deprived 
group from support – is compatible with the principle of non-discrimination both at EU and 
national  level.  The  principle  of  equal  treatment  does  not  prevent  Member  States  from 
maintaining or adopting specific measures to prevent or compensate for disadvantages linked 
to  racial  or  ethnic  origin13.  Some  Member  States  have  already  successfully  used  positive 
action  in  favour  of  Roma,  considering  that  classical  social  inclusion  measures  were  not 
sufficient to meet Roma specific needs14.  

To ensure that effective policies are in place in the Member States, the Commission proposes 
that  national  Roma  integration  strategies  are  designed  or,  where  they  already  exist,  are 
adapted  to  meet  EU  Roma  integration  goals,  with  targeted  actions  and  sufficient  funding 
(national, EU and other) to deliver them. It proposes solutions to address the current barriers 
to  a  more  effective  use  of  EU  funds  and  lays  the  foundations  of  a  robust  monitoring 
mechanism to ensure concrete results for Roma. 

3. 

EXPRESSING THE EU AMBITION: SETTING ROMA INTEGRATION GOALS 

The European Commission's Annual Growth Survey15 showed that much needs to be done by 
Member States and the EU to implement the Europe 2020 strategy and to achieve its headline 
targets,  supported  by  flagship  initiatives16.  For  a  number  of  Member  States,  addressing  the 
situation of Roma in terms of employment, poverty and education will contribute to progress 
towards Europe 2020 employment, social inclusion and education targets.  

EU Roma integration goals should cover, in proportion to the size of the Roma population, 
four  crucial  areas:  access  to  education,  employment,  healthcare  and  housing.  These 
minimum  standards  should  be  based  on  common,  comparable  and  reliable  indicators.  The 
achievement of these goals is important to help Member States reaching the overall targets of 
the Europe 2020 strategy.  

12 

13 
14 

15 
16 

See the estimates of the Council of Europe at  http://www.coe.int/t/dg3/romatravellers/default_EN.asp, 
which are included in the Annex to this Communication. 
Council Directive 2000/43/EC (OJ L 180 19.7.2000). 
For  example,  the  United  Kingdom's  local  Traveller  Education  Support  Services  (TESS)  is  a  tailored 
service  to  achieve  equal  access  to  education  and  equal  educational  outcomes  for  Traveller  and  Roma 
children.  Another  example  is  the  JOBS  for  Roma  project  in  Bulgaria  which  offers  assistance  for 
unemployed  Roma  and  support  for  entrepreneurs.  Other  examples  can  be  found  in  the  Commission's 
report "Improving the tools for the social inclusion and non-discrimination of Roma in the EU", 2010. 
See also European Commission, "International perspectives on positive action measures", 2009. 
COM(2011) 11, Annual Growth Survey: advancing the EU's comprehensive response to the crisis. 
Out of seven flagship  initiatives,  the  most  relevant  in  this  context  are  the European Platform  against 
Poverty and Social Exclusion, An Agenda for New Skills and Jobs and the Innovation Union. 

EN 

4 

   EN 

                                                 
•  Access to education: Ensure that all Roma children complete at least primary school  

Educational  achievement  within  the  Roma  population  is  much  lower  than  the  rest  of  the 
population, although the situation differs among Member States17. 

While primary school attendance is compulsory in all Member States, Member States have a 
duty  to  ensure  that  primary  education  is  available  to  all  children  at  the  compulsory  ages. 
According to the best available evidence from the Labour Force Survey 200918, an average of 
97.5% of children completes primary education across the EU.  

Surveys  suggest  that  in  some  Member  States,  only  a  limited  number  of  Roma  children 
complete  primary  school19.  Roma  children  tend  to  be  over-represented  in  special  education 
and  segregated  schools.  There  is  a  need  to  strengthen  links  with  communities  through 
cultural/school mediators, churches, religious associations or communities and through active 
participation of the parents of Roma, to improve the intercultural competences of teachers, to 
reduce segregation and to ensure compliance with the duty to primary school attendance. The 
Commission  plans  a  joint  action  with  the  Council  of  Europe  to  train  about  1000  mediators 
over  two  years.  Mediators  can  inform  and  advise  parents  on  the  workings  of  the  local 
education system, and help to ensure that children make the transition between each stage of 
their school career. 

It is well known that children who miss out on, enter late into the school system, or leave too 
early  will  subsequently  experience  significant  difficulties,  ranging  from  illiteracy  and 
language  problems  to  feelings  of  exclusion  and  inadequacy.  As  a  result,  they  will  have  a 
harder time getting into further education, university or a good job. Therefore, initiatives of 
second chance programmes for drop-out young adults are encouraged, including programmes 
with  an  explicit  focus  on  Roma  children.  Support  should  also  be  given  to  reform  teachers' 
training  curricula  and  to  elaborate  innovative  teaching  methods.  Attendance  of  multiply 
disadvantaged  children  requires  a  cross-sectoral  cooperation  and  appropriate  support 
programmes. The High Level Group on Literacy and the Literacy Campaign the Commission 
is launching as a contribution to the Europe 2020 flagship "New Skills and Jobs" will stress 
the importance of combating illiteracy among Roma children and adults. 

The Commission adopted a Communication on Early Childhood Education and Care20 which 
highlighted  that  participation  rates  of  Roma  children  are  significantly  lower,  although  their 
needs for support are greater. Increased access to high quality non-segregated early childhood 
education  can  play  a  key  role  in  overcoming  the  educational  disadvantage  faced  by  Roma 
children,  as  highlighted  by  pilot  actions  on  Roma  integration  currently  underway  in  some 
Member States with contributions from the EU budget21.  

This is why Member States should ensure that all Roma children have access to quality 
education  and  are  not  subject  to  discrimination  or  segregation,  regardless  of  whether 
they are sedentary or not. Member States should, as a minimum, ensure primary school 

17 

18 
19 

20 
21 

As  regards  secondary  education,  the  Roma  attendance  is  about  10%  as  estimated  on  the  basis  of  the 
Open Society Institute (OSI) Survey 2008 (data available for seven Member States). 
Labour Force Survey, 2009 - http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/microdata/lfs 
Open Society Institute, International Comparative Data Set on Roma Education, 2008. Data on primary 
education  is  available  for  6  Member  States:  Bulgaria,  Hungary,  Latvia,  Lithuania,  Romania,  and 
Slovakia. 42% is the weighted average for these Member States. 
COM(2011) 66. 
Pilot project: "A Good Start: scaling-up access to quality services for young Roma children". 

EN 

5 

   EN 

                                                 
completion. They should also widen access to quality early childhood education and care 
and reduce the number of early school leavers from secondary education pursuant to the 
Europe  2020  strategy.  Roma  youngsters  should  be  strongly  encouraged  to  participate 
also in secondary and tertiary education22. 

•  Access  to  employment:  Cut  the  employment  gap  between  Roma  and  the  rest  of  the 

population 

The  Europe  2020  strategy  sets  a headline  target  of  75%  of  the  population  aged  20-64  to  be 
employed (on average, the employment rate in the EU amounts to 68.8%23). The 2011 Annual 
Growth  Survey  outlined  how  Member  States  are  setting  national  employment  targets  in 
national reform programmes against which progress can be measured. Empirical evidence and 
research on the socio-economic situation of Roma show that there is a significant gap between 
the employment rate for Roma and the rest of the population.  

The World Bank found that Roma employment rates (especially for women) fall well behind 
those of the non-Roma majority24. A survey by the European Agency for Fundamental Rights 
in  seven  Member  States  also  highlights  important  gaps  and  indicates  that  Roma  consider 
themselves to be highly discriminated against in the field of employment25. 

This  is  why  Member  States  should  grant  Roma  people  full  access  in  a  non-
discriminatory  way  to  vocational  training,  to  the  job  market  and  to  self-employment 
tools and initiatives. Access to micro-credit should be encouraged. In the public sector, 
due  attention  should  be  given  to  employment  of  qualified  Roma  civil  servants.  Public 
Employment Services can reach out to the Roma by providing personalised services and 
mediation.  This  can  help  attract  Roma  to  the  labour  market  and  thus  increase  the 
employment rate. 

•  Access to healthcare: Reduce the gap in health status between the Roma and the rest of 

the population  

Life  expectancy  at  birth  in  the  EU  is  76  for  men  and  82  for  women26.  For  Roma,  it  is 
estimated to be 10 years less27. In addition, while the infant mortality rate in the EU is 4.3 per 
thousand  live  births28, there  is  evidence  that  the  rate  is  much  higher  among  Roma 
communities. A United Nations Development Programme report on five countries noted that 
Roma  child  mortality  rates  are  2  to  6  times  higher  than  those  for  the  general  population, 

22 

23 

24 
25 

26 
27 

28 

In this context, the potential use of innovative approaches such as ICT-based access to learning and skill 
acquisition should be actively explored. 
COM(2011)  11,  Annex  3,  Draft  Joint  Employment  Report.  See  also  Labour  Force  Survey,  2009:  for 
2009 the employment rate was 62.5% for women, 75.8% for men - 
http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm/table.do?tab=table&init=1&plugin=1&language=en&pcode=t2020
_10 
World Bank, op.cit.  
Fundamental  Rights  Agency,  European  Union  Minorities  and  Discrimination  Survey,  Main  Results 
Report, 2009. 
http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/product_details/dataset?p_product_code=TSDPH100 
COM(2009)  567,  Solidarity  in  Health:  Reducing  Health  Inequalities  in  the  EU.  See  also  Fundación 
Secretariado Gitano, op cit. and Sepkowitz K, "Health of the World's Roma population", 2006, based on 
the situation in the Czech Republic, Ireland, Slovakia and Bulgaria. 
Ratio of the number of deaths of children under one year of age during the year, to the number of live 
births in that year. Eurostat Data, 2009 - 
http://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/show.do?dataset=demo_minfind&lang=en 

EN 

6 

   EN 

                                                 
 
 
depending  on  the  country.  High  levels  of  infant  mortality  among  the  Roma  community  are 
reported in other countries29.  

This disparity reflects the overall gap in health between Roma and non-Roma. This difference 
is linked to their poor living situations, lack of targeted information campaign, limited access 
to quality healthcare and exposure to higher health risks. In the Fundamental Rights Agency 
survey,  discrimination  by  healthcare  personnel  also  emerged  as  a  particular  problem  for  the 
Roma30:  17%  indicated  they  had  experienced  discrimination  in  this  area  in  the  previous  12 
months.  Use  of  prevention  services  among  the  Roma  population  is  low  and,  according  to 
some studies, over 25% of Roma children are not fully vaccinated31.  

This  is  why  Member  States  should  provide  access  to  quality  healthcare  especially  for 
children and women as well as preventive care and social services at a similar level and 
under the same conditions to the Roma as to the rest of the population. Where possible, 
qualified  Roma  should  be 
in  healthcare  programmes  targeting  their 
communities. 

involved 

•  Access to housing and essential services: Close the gap between the share of Roma with 
access to housing and to public utilities (such as water, electricity and gas) and that of 
the rest of the population 

Between  72%  and  100%  of  households  across  the  EU  are  connected  to  a  public  water 
supply32.  Yet  the  situation  for  Roma  is  much  worse.  Their  often  poor  housing  conditions 
include  an  inadequate  access  to  public  utilities  such  as  water,  electricity  or  gas  and  non-
sedentary Roma often have difficulty finding sites with access to water33. This has a negative 
impact on their health and overall integration in society. 

This  is  why  Member  States  should  promote  non-discriminatory  access  to  housing, 
including social housing. Action on housing needs to be part of an integrated approach 
including, in particular, education, health, social affairs, employment and security, and 
desegregation measures. Member States should also address the particular needs of non-
sedentary  Roma  (e.g.  provide  access  to  suitable  halting  sites  for  non-sedentary  Roma). 
They  should  actively  intervene  with  targeted  programmes  involving  regional  and  local 
authorities.  

29 

30 

31 

32 

33 

UNDP,  The  Roma  in  Central  and  Eastern  Europe,  Avoiding  the  Dependency  Trap,  2003.  Bulgaria, 
Romania,  Slovakia,  Hungary  and  the  Czech  Republic.  Equality  and  Human  Rights  Commission, 
Inequalities Experienced by Gypsy and Traveller Communities: A review, 2009.  
Fundamental  Rights  Agency,  European  Union  Minorities  and  Discrimination  Survey,  Main  Results 
Report, 2009. 
Fundación Secretariado Gitano, op.cit. See also University of Sheffield, The Health Status of Gypsies 
and Travellers in England, 2004. 
Eurostat  data,  2002 
21032006-AP-EN.PDF 
Fundamental  Rights  Agency,  Housing  conditions  of  Roma  and  Travellers  in  the  European  Union, 
Comparative Report, 2009. 

-  http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITY_PUBLIC/8-21032006-AP/EN/8-

EN 

7 

   EN 

                                                 
4. 

NATIONAL  ROMA  INTEGRATION  STRATEGIES:  A  CLEAR  POLICY  COMMITMENT 
FROM MEMBER STATES  

Building  on  the  experience  of  the  Member  States  including  these  participating  in  the  Roma 
Decade34,  the  Commission  calls  on  Member  States  to  align  their  national  Roma  integration 
strategies to the targeted approach set out above and extend their planning period up to 2020. 
Member States that do not have national Roma strategies in place yet are called upon to set 
similar goals, in proportion to the size of the Roma population living in their territories35 and 
taking  into  account  their  different  starting  points  as  well  as  the  specificities  of  such 
populations.  

Member States' national strategies should pursue a targeted approach which will, in line with 
the  Common  Basic  Principles  on  Roma  Inclusion36,  actively  contribute  to  the  social 
integration  of  Roma  in  mainstream  society  and  to  eliminating  segregation  where  it  exists. 
They should fit into and contribute to the broader framework of the Europe 2020 strategy and 
should therefore be consistent with national reform programmes. 

When  developing  national  Roma  integration  strategies,  Member  States  should  bear  in  mind 
the following approaches: 

•  Set  achievable  national  goals  for  Roma  integration  to  bridge  the  gap  with  the 
general  population.  These  targets  should  address,  as  a  minimum,  the  four  EU 
Roma  integration  goals  relating  to  access  to  education,  employment,  healthcare 
and housing. 

•  Identify  where  relevant  those  disadvantaged  micro-regions  or  segregated 
neighbourhoods, where communities are most deprived, using already available 
socio-economic  and  territorial  indicators  (i.e.  very  low  educational  level,  long-
term unemployment, etc…).  

•  Allocate  a  sufficient  funding  from  national  budgets,  which  will  be 

complemented, where appropriate, by international and EU funding.  

•  Include strong monitoring methods to evaluate the impact of Roma integration 

actions and a review mechanism for the adaptation of the strategy. 

34 

35 

36 

The  Decade  of  Roma  Inclusion  2005–2015  is  an  international  initiative  that  brings  together 
governments, international partner organisations and civil society, to accelerate progress towards Roma 
inclusion  and  review  such  progress  in  a  transparent  and  quantifiable  way.  The  twelve  countries 
currently  taking  part  in  the  Decade  are  Bulgaria,  the  Czech  Republic,  Hungary,  Romania,  Slovakia, 
Spain as well as Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, FYROM, Montenegro and Serbia. Slovenia 
has  observer  status.  The  international  partner  organisations  of  the  Decade  are  the  World  Bank,  OSI, 
UNDP, Council of Europe, Council of Europe Development Bank, OSCE, ERIO, ERTF, ERRC, UN-
HABITAT, UNHCR, and UNICEF. 
See the estimates of the Council of Europe at  http://www.coe.int/t/dg3/romatravellers/default_EN.asp, 
which are included in the Annex to this Communication. 
The 10 Common Basic Principles on Roma Inclusion were presented at the first Platform meeting on 24 
April  2009.  They  were  annexed  to  the  Council  conclusions  of  8  June  2009.  They  comprise:  1) 
constructive, pragmatic and non-discriminatory policies 2) explicit but not exclusive targeting 3) inter-
cultural  approach  4)  aiming  for  the  mainstream  5)  awareness  of  the  gender  dimension  6)  transfer  of 
evidence-based  policies  7)  use  of  EU  instruments  8)  involvement  of  regional  and  local  authorities  9) 
involvement of civil society 10) active participation of Roma.  

EN 

8 

   EN 

                                                 
•  Be  designed,  implemented  and  monitored  in  close  cooperation  and  continuous 

dialogue with Roma civil society, regional and local authorities. 

•  Appoint  a  national  contact  point  for  the  national  Roma  integration  strategy 
with  the  authority  to  coordinate  the  development  and  implementation  of  the 
strategy or, where relevant, rely on suitable existing administrative structures. 

Member  States  are  requested  to  prepare  or  revise  their  national  Roma  integration 
strategies and present them to the Commission by the end of December 2011. In spring 
2012,  ahead  of  the  annual  Roma  Platform  meeting,  the  Commission  will  assess  these 
national  strategies  and  report  to  the  European  Parliament  and  to  the  Council  about 
progress. 

5. 

ACHIEVING CONCRETE RESULTS FOR ROMA PEOPLE  

The  implementation  and  success  of  national  Roma  integration  strategies  will  very  much 
depend on an effective and sufficient allocation of national resources. EU funding alone can 
certainly not solve the situation of Roma, but the Commission recalls that up to € 26.5 billion 
of  EU  funding  is  currently  programmed  to  support  Member  States'  efforts  in  the  field  of 
social inclusion, including to support efforts to help the Roma37. 

In  April  2010,  the  Commission38  called  on  the  Member  States  to  ensure  that  existing  EU 
financial instruments, and especially the Structural Funds and the European Agricultural Fund 
for Rural Development, were accessible to Roma. This approach was endorsed by the Council 
in  June  201039.  However,  most  Member  States  currently  do  not  make  yet  sufficient  use  of 
available EU funds to address the needs of the Roma. 

Making progress under the present programming period (2007-2013)… 

•  In order to overcome the weaknesses in the development of appropriate strategies 
and effective measures to implement them where they exist, Members States are 
invited  to  amend  their  operational  programmes  co-financed  by  Structural  Funds 
and  the  European  Agricultural  Fund  for  Rural  Development  in  order  to  better 
support  Roma  targeted  projects,  and  to  align  them  with  their  national  Roma 
integration strategies.  

•  The  Commission  will  examine  with  Member  States  changes  to  their  operational 
programmes  in  order  to  address  new  needs,  simplify  delivery  and  speed  up  the 
implementation  of  priorities,  including  the  use  of  the  housing-related  integrated 
approach  foreseen  in  the  European  Regional  Development  Fund  modified 
Regulation40.  The  Commission  will  swiftly  examine  requests  for  programme 
modifications that are in relation to the national Roma integration strategies. 

37 

38 
39 
40 

For the European Social Fund, € 9.6 billion have been allocated in the period 2007-2013 for measures 
targeting  socio-economic  inclusion  of  disadvantaged people  –  among  them  marginalised  Roma  –  and 
€ 172 million have been explicitly allocated for actions aiming at integrating the Roma. In the case of 
the  European  Regional  Development  Fund  (ERDF),  more  than  € 16.8  billion  are  planned  for  social 
infrastructure. 
COM(2010) 133. 
Council Conclusions of 7 June 2010, 10058/10+COR 1. 
European Parliament and Council Regulation No 437/2010 (OJ L 132, 29.5.2010). On 9 February 2011, 
the  Commission  issued  a  guidance  note  on  the  implementation  of  integrated  housing  interventions  in 

EN 

9 

   EN 

                                                 
•  There  are  significant  amounts  of  EU  technical  assistance  at  Member  States' 
disposal (4% of all Structural Funds), out of which Member States on average had 
only used 31% of their planned allocations until late 2009. These amounts would 
be  lost  if  not  used.  When  designing  their  national  Roma  integration  strategies, 
Member States should therefore make a greater use of EU technical assistance41 to 
improve their management, monitoring and evaluation capacities also with regard 
to  Roma-targeted  projects.  This  instrument  could  also  potentially  be  used  by 
Member  States  to  obtain  the  expertise  of  regional,  national  and  international 
organisations in preparing, implementing and monitoring interventions.  

the  management  and 

•  To  surmount  capacity  issues,  such  as  lack  of  know-how  and  administrative 
capacity  of  managing  authorities  and  the  difficulties  of  combining  funds  to 
support  integrated  projects,  the  Commission  invites  Member  States  to  consider 
entrusting 
their 
programmes  to  intermediary  bodies  such  as  international  organisations,  regional 
development bodies, churches and religious organisations or communities as well 
as  non-governmental  organisations  with  proven  experience  in  Roma  integration 
and  knowledge  of  actors  on  the  ground42.  In  this  respect,  the  network  of  the 
European Economic and Social Committee could be a useful tool43.  

implementation  of  some  parts  of 

•  Member  States  should  also  consider  using  the  European  Progress  Microfinance 
Facility,44  for  which  a  total  of  € 100  million  of  EU  funding  is  available  for  the 
period 2010-2013. The Commission estimates that this amount can be leveraged 
to  more  than  € 500  million  in  microcredit  over  the  coming  eight  years.  Roma 
communities  are  one  of  the  target  groups  of  the  instrument45.  Giving  Roma 
communities  the  opportunity  to  start  autonomous  productive  activities  could 
motivate people to actively participate in regular work, reduce benefit dependency 
and inspire future generations.  

•  When  designing  and  implementing  their  national  Roma  integration  strategies, 
Member  States  are  encouraged  to  use  the  European  Initiative  on  Social 
Innovation,  which  the  Commission  intends  to  launch  in  2011  as  set  out  in  the 
Flagship  Initiative  "European  Platform  against  Poverty  and  Social  Exclusion". 
This innovation-based approach can contribute to improving the effectiveness of 
social inclusion policies. 

…and beyond 2013 

41 

42 

43 

44 
45 

favour of marginalised communities under the ERDF, approved by the Committee of Coordination of 
the Funds.  
COM(2010)  110,  Cohesion  policy:  Strategic  Report  2010  on  the  implementation  of  the  programme 
2007-2013  and  SEC(2010)  360,  reported  that  Member  States  used  on  average  only  31%  of  their 
allocations in support of preparation, implementation and monitoring of cohesion policy. 
In accordance with Council Regulation No 1083/2006, Articles 42 and 43 relating to global grants (OJ 
L 210, 31.7.2006). 
The  European  Economic  and  Social  Committee  has  a  network  of  national  contact  points  in  the 
organised civil society through national Economic and Social committees and similar organisations. 
European Parliament and Council Decision No 283/2010/EU of 25 March 2010. 
The Commission already supports, for example, the Kiútprogram, a small scale pilot project targeting 
the Roma community in Hungary, which provides relatively small microloans. 

EN 

10 

   EN 

                                                                                                                                                         
As the national Roma integration strategies should cover the period 2011-2020, making best 
use  of  the  funding  that  will  be  made  available  under  the  new  Multi-annual  Financial 
Framework (MFF) is important. The MFF will set out the way in which the future EU budget 
will support the objectives of Europe 2020.  

From  its  inception,  Europe  2020  strategy  takes  into  account  the  situation  of  the  Roma 
population46. Actions to support the integration of the Roma will be part of the relevant EU 
financial  instruments,  in  particular  cohesion  policy  funds.  When  preparing  its  proposals  for 
the future cohesion policy regulatory framework, based on the orientations put forward in the 
Budget  Review47  and  in  the  conclusions  of  the  fifth  Cohesion  Report,  the  Commission  will 
strive to address the current potential barriers to an effective use of cohesion policy funds to 
support Roma integration.  

It  will  be  important  to  ensure that  the  investment  priorities  of  the  various  funds  that  can  be 
used in the area of social inclusion and fight against poverty underpin the implementation of 
the  national  reform  programmes  and  the  national  Roma  integration  strategies.  They  should 
also set out the necessary pre-conditions for an effective and result-oriented support, including 
through  better  evaluation.  In  addition,  the  possibility  to  use  positive  incentives  to  redress 
inequalities will be explored. At the same time, simplifying procedures for the benefit of the 
programme  users  will  be  one  of  the  main  elements  the  Commission  will  take  into  account 
when preparing the future proposals. This is of particular importance for projects addressing 
Roma needs.  

6. 

PROMOTING  ROMA  INTEGRATION  BEYOND  THE  EU:  THE  PARTICULAR  SITUATION 
OF ENLARGEMENT COUNTRIES 

The Commission’s Enlargement Strategy48 highlighted the precarious situation of many Roma 
in  the  Western  Balkans  and  in  Turkey.  Their  number  is  estimated  at  3.8  million  by  the 
Council of Europe.  

Roma in enlargement countries face similar or even more serious problems than in many EU 
Member  States:  social  exclusion,  segregation  and  marginalisation  leading  to  lack  of 
education, chronic unemployment, limited access to healthcare, housing and essential services 
as well as widespread poverty. In addition, due to the wars in the Balkan region, many Roma 
families  had  to  move  as  displaced  persons  to  other  countries  in  the  region  or  to  Western 
Europe.  In  Turkey,  Roma  groups  are  diverse,  but  a  large  proportion  suffers  from  multi-
dimensional social exclusion.  

Lessons  learned  from  past  accessions  suggest  that  promoting  Roma  integration  requires  an 
enhanced  political  commitment  to  Roma  inclusion,  the  allocation  of  appropriate  resources 
under  the  national  budgets,  better  coordination  with  all  relevant  donors  and  a  systematic 
evaluation and reinforced monitoring. The EU Roma integration goals are equally relevant to 
these  countries.  Their  national  Roma  integration  strategies  and  Action  Plans  (developed  in 

46 

47 
48 

The Integrated Guidelines for economic and employment policies (no 10) contain an explicit reference 
to Roma. Furthermore, the "Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion" flagship initiative outlines 
how to address the integration of Roma within the overall policy to fight poverty and social exclusion. 
Other Guidelines for the employment policies promote employability in a way which helps the socio-
economic integration of Roma people. 
COM(2010) 700, The EU Budget Review. 
COM(2010) 660, Enlargement Strategy and Main Challenges 2010-2011. 

EN 

11 

   EN 

                                                 
most  cases  in  the  framework  of  the  2005-2015  Decade  of  Roma  Inclusion)  should  be 
reviewed  in  line  with  these  goals.  Turkey  has yet  to  adopt  a  national  framework  to  address 
Roma inclusion. 

The  Commission  is  committed  to  help,  at  regional  and  national  level,  the  efforts  of  these 
countries to improve the social and economic inclusion of Roma through: 

•  improving  the  delivery  of  support  under  the  Instrument  on  Pre-Accession 
Assistance towards a strategic and results oriented national and multi-beneficiary 
programming with a focus on a sector-wide approach for social development. The 
Commission is currently implementing or planning projects with a total value of 
more  than  €50  million  which  could  also  ex clusively  or  partly  benefit  the  Roma 
communities. 

•  strengthening  the  involvement  of  civil  society  by  encouraging  institutionalised 
dialogues  with  Roma  representatives to become involved and take responsibility 
for policy formulation, implementation and monitoring on regional, national and 
local level. 

•  close  monitoring  of  the  progress  made  by  each  country  regarding  the  economic 
and  social  situation  of  Roma  and  annual  presentation  of  its  conclusions  in  the 
enlargement Progress Reports. 

7. 

EMPOWERING CIVIL SOCIETY: A STRONGER ROLE FOR THE EUROPEAN PLATFORM 
FOR ROMA INCLUSION  

The  European  Platform  for  Roma  Inclusion49  is  a  useful  forum  for  debate  and  concerted 
actions  of  all  relevant  stakeholders:  EU  institutions,  national  governments,  international 
organisations,  academia  and  Roma  civil  society  representatives.  The  Platform  has 
significantly  contributed  to  making  both  European  and  national  policies  more  sensitive  to 
Roma needs.  

The Commission is committed to playing a stronger role in the Platform and to reinforcing the 
Platform's  role,  building  on  past  experience  and  by  linking  its  work  with  the  four  priority 
areas of national Roma integration strategies. 

Through  the  Platform,  concerned  stakeholders,  especially  representatives  of  the  Roma 
communities,  should  have  the  possibility  to  play  a  role  in  the  European  Framework  for 
National Roma Integration Strategies. The strengthened Platform can support Member States 
to  find  the  relevant  policy  responses  through  the  exchange  of  good  practices  and  the 
discussion of approaches from international organisations with experience in promoting Roma 
inclusion. It will also provide the Commission with feedback on the results of national efforts 
on the ground through the voice of Roma civil society.  

49 

The first meeting of the Platform took place in 2009, following the General Affairs Council conclusions 
of 8 December 2008, which called upon the Commission to organise an exchange of good practices and 
experiences between Member States in the sphere of inclusion of the Roma, provide analytical support 
and  stimulate  cooperation  between  all  parties  concerned  by  Roma  issues,  including  the  organisations 
representing  Roma,  in  the  context  of  an  integrated  European  platform.  General  Affairs  Council 
Conclusions 15976/1/08 REV 1. 

EN 

12 

   EN 

                                                 
8. 

MEASURING PROGRESS: PUTTING IN PLACE A ROBUST MONITORING SYSTEM 

At  present,  it  is  difficult  to  obtain  accurate,  detailed  and  complete  data  on  the  situation  of 
Roma  in  the  Member  States  and  to  identify  concrete  measures  put  in  place  to  tackle  Roma 
exclusion and discrimination. It is not possible to assess whether such measures have given 
the expected results. It is therefore important to collect reliable data. 

This  is  why  it  is  necessary  to  put  in  place  a  robust  monitoring  mechanism  with  clear 
benchmarks  which  will  ensure  that  tangible  results  are  measured,  that  money  directed  to 
Roma  integration  has  reached  its  final  beneficiaries,  that  there  is  progress  towards  the 
achievement of the EU Roma integration goals and that national Roma integration strategies 
have been implemented. 

The Commission will report annually to the European Parliament and to the Council on 
progress on the integration of the Roma population in Member States and on the achievement 
of the goals. 

The Commission will do so by building on the Roma household survey pilot project carried 
out  by  the  United  Nations  Development  Programme  in  cooperation  particularly  with  the 
World  Bank  and  the  Fundamental  Rights  Agency50.  The  Commission  requests  the 
Fundamental Rights Agency to expand this survey on Roma to all Member States and to run it 
regularly  to  measure  progress  on  the  ground.  The  Fundamental  Rights  Agency,  working 
together with other relevant bodies, such as the European Foundation for the Improvement of 
Living  and  Working  Conditions,  will  collect  data  on  the  situation  of  Roma  with  respect  to 
access to employment, education, healthcare and housing. Data collection will also be drawn 
from specific research funded by Socio-economic Sciences and Humanities Programme of the 
7th  Framework  Programme.  Throughout  this  process,  the  Commission,  the  Fundamental 
Rights Agency and other Union bodies will, in line with Article 4(2)TEU, respect the national 
identities  of  the  Member  States,  inherent  to  their  fundamental  structures,  political  and 
constitutional, inclusive to their regional and self-government. 

The  Commission  will  also  take  into  account  ongoing  work  within  the  Open  Method  of 
Coordination  in  the  field  of  social  policies  and  other  Member  States  contributions  based  on 
their  own  monitoring  systems  of  Roma  integration.  The  in-depth  monitoring  by  Member 
States  and  stakeholders  of  the  implementation  of  national  Roma  integration  strategies  is  a 
sound  method  for  enhancing  transparency  and  accountability  in  order  to  ensure  the  most 
effective impacts of Roma integration. 

National  reform  programmes  together  with  the  monitoring  and  peer  review  process  of  the 
Europe 2020 strategy should be an additional source of information for assessing progress and 
giving guidance to Member States. 

In  order  to  get  useful  data  in  the  long  term,  the  Commission  will  also  foster  cooperation 
between national statistical offices and Eurostat so as to be able to identify methods to map 
the  EU's  least  developed  micro-regions,  where  the  most  marginalised  groups  live,  and  in 
particular  Roma,  as  a  first  step.  This  territorial  approach  to  data  collection  has  a  direct 
relevance  to  tackling  Roma  poverty  and  exclusion.  In  addition,  the  Fundamental  Rights 

50 

UNDP Survey, co-financed by DG REGIO and developed in cooperation with DG REGIO, the FRA, 
the World Bank and OSI (Spring 2011-Results in the Autumn): 11 Member States covered (Bulgaria, 
the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, France, Italy, Spain and Portugal). 

EN 

13 

   EN 

                                                 
Agency should work with Member States to develop monitoring methods which can provide a 
comparative analysis of the situation of Roma across Europe. 

9. 

CONCLUSION: 10 YEARS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE 

This  EU  Framework  for  National  Roma  Integration  Strategies  provides  the  opportunity  for 
joining  forces  at  all  levels  (EU,  national,  regional)  and  with  all  stakeholders,  including  the 
Roma, to address one of the most serious social challenges in Europe: putting an end to the 
exclusion  of  Roma.  It  is  complementary  to  the  existing  EU  legislation  and  policies  in  the 
areas of non-discrimination, fundamental rights, the free movement of persons, and the rights 
of the child51. The framework spells out EU level goals for Roma integration to be achieved at 
national,  regional  and  local  level.  Those  ambitious  goals  will  only  be  reached  if  there  is  a 
clear  commitment  from  Member  States  and  national,  regional  and  local  authorities  coupled 
with involvement of Roma civil society organisations.  

The  Commission  invites  the  European  Parliament,  the  European  Council,  the  Council,  the 
Committee of the Regions and the European Social an Economic Committee to endorse the 
EU  Framework  for  National  Roma  Integration  Strategies.  For  over  a  decade,  the  EU 
institutions have been regularly calling on Member States and candidate countries to improve 
the social and economic integration of Roma. Now is the time to change good intentions into 
more concrete actions. 

51 

COM(2011) 60, An EU Agenda for the Rights of the Child. 

EN 

14 

   EN 

                                                 
Annex — Table elaborated on the basis of Council of Europe's data (http://www.coe.int/t/dg3/romatravellers/default_en.asp) 

Figures taken from a document prepared by the Council of Europe Roma and Travellers Division 

European countries 

(EU Member States) 

Total country 
population 
(July 2009) 

Official number 

(last census) 

Minimum 
estimate 

Maximum estimate  Average estimate 

% of total 
population (from 
averages) 

Updated 

Austria

8.205.533 

No data available

Belgium

10.414.336 

No data available

20.000

20.000

Bulgaria

7.262.675 

370 908 (2001)

700.000

Cyprus

792.604 

560 (1960)

1.000

Czech Republic

10.220.911 

11 718 (2001)

150.000

Denmark

5.484.723 

No data available

Estonia

1.307.605 

584 (2009)

Finland

5.244.749 

No data available

France

64.057.790 

No data available

Germany

82.400.996 

No data available

Greece

10.722.816 

No data available

Hungary

9.930.915 

190 046 (2001)

Ireland

4.156.119 

22 435 (2006)

Italy

59.619.290 

No data available

1.000

1.000

10.000

300.000

70.000

180.000

400.000

32.000

110.000

15 

EN 

30.000

40.000

800.000

1.500

250.000

10.000

1.500

12.000

500.000

140.000

350.000

1.000.000

43.000

170.000

25.000

30.000

750.000

1.250

200.000

5.500

1.250

11.000

400.000

105.000

265.000

700.000

37.500

140.000

0,30%

0,29%

14/09/2010 

14/09/2010 

10,33%

14/09/2010 

0,16%

1,96%

0,10%

0,10%

0,21%

0,62%

0,13%

2,47%

7,05%

0,90%

0,23%

3/08/2009 

14/09/2010 

3/08/2009 

3/08/2009 

3/08/2009 

14/09/2010 

14/09/2010 

14/09/2010 

14/09/2010 

14/09/2010 

14/09/2010 

EN 

 
  
  
Latvia

2.245.423 

8 205 (2000)

Lithuania

3.565.205 

2 571 (2001)

Luxembourg

486.006 

No data available

Malta

403.532 

No data available

the Netherlands

16.645.313 

No data available

Poland

38.500.696 

12 731(2002)

Portugal

10.676.910 

No data available

13.000

2.000

100

0

32.000

15.000

40.000

16.000

4.000

500

0

48.000

60.000

70.000

14.500

3.000

300

0

40.000

37.500

55.000

Romania

22.246.862 

535 140 (2002)

1.200.000

2.500.000

1.850.000

Slovak Republic

5.455.407 

89 920 (2001)

400.000

Slovenia

2.007.711 

3 246 (2002)

Spain

46.157.822 

No data available

Sweden

9.276.509 

No data available

United Kingdom

60.943.912 

No data available

7.000

650.000

35.000

150.000

600.000

10.000

800.000

50.000

300.000

500.000

8.500

725.000

42.500

225.000

0,65%

0,08%

0,06%

0,00%

0,24%

0,10%

0,52%

8,32%

9,17%

0,42%

1,57%

0,46%

0,37%

3/08/2009 

3/08/2009 

3/08/2009 

3/08/2009 

14/09/2010 

14/09/2010 

14/09/2010 

14/09/2010 

14/09/2010 

3/08/2009 

14/09/2010 

14/09/2010 

14/09/2010 

Total in the EU   

6.172.800

1,73%   

(Non-EU Member 
States) 

Albania

3.619.778 

1261 (2001)

80.000

150.000

115.000

3,18%

14/09/2010 

EN 

16 

EN 

 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
  
  
  
Andorra

72.413 

No data available

Armenia

2.968.586 

No data available

Azerbaijan

8.177.717 

No data available

Belarus

9.685.768 

No data available

Bosnia and 
Herzegovina

4.590.310 

8 864 (1991)

Croatia

4.491.543 

9 463 (2001)

Georgia

4.630.841 

1 744 (1989)

Iceland

304.367 

No data available

0

2.000

2.000

10.000

40.000

30.000

2.000

0

Kosovo*

2.542.711 

45 745 (1991)

25.000

Liechtenstein

34.498 

No data available

0

0

2.000

2.000

70.000

60.000

40.000

2.500

0

50.000

0

0

2.000

2.000

40.000

50.000

35.000

2.250

0

37.500

0

0,00%

0,07%

0,02%

0,41%

1,09%

0,78%

0,05%

0,00%

1,47%

0,00%

“The former Yugoslav 
Republic of 
Macedonia”

2.061.315 

53 879 (2002)

135.500

260.000

197.750

9,59%

Moldova

4.324.450 

12 280 (2004)

15.000

200.000

107.500

Monaco

32.796 

No data available

Montenegro

678.177 

2 826 (2003)

Norway

4.644.457 

No data available

0

15.000

4.500

0

25.000

15.700

0

20.000

10.100

Russian Federation

140.702.094 

182 617 (2002)

450.000

1.200.000

825.000

San Marino

29.973 

No data available

0

0

0

2,49%

0,00%

2,95%

0,22%

0,59%

0,00%

3/08/2009 

3/08/2009 

3/08/2009 

14/09/2010 

14/09/2010 

14/09/2010 

3/08/2009 

3/08/2009 

14/09/2010 

3/08/2009 

14/09/2010 

14/09/2010 

3/08/2009 

14/09/2010 

3/08/2009 

14/09/2010 

3/08/2009 

EN 

17 

EN 

 
  
Serbia (excl. Kosovo)

7.334.935 

108 193 (2002)

400.000

Switzerland

7.581.520 

No data available

Turkey

71.892.807 

4 656 (1945)

Ukraine

45.994.287 

47 917 (2001)

25.000

500.000

120.000

800.000

35.000

600.000

30.000

5.000.000

2.750.000

400.000

260.000

8,18%

0,40%

3,83%

0,57%

14/09/2010 

14/09/2010 

14/09/2010 

14/09/2010 

Total Non-EU   

5.084.100

1,63%   

Total in Europe

*under UNSCR 1244/99  

11.256.900

EN 

18 

EN