COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Assessing the implementation of the EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies and the Council Recommendation on effective Roma integration measures in the Member States - 2016
Date: 2016-06-27
Institutions: Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers, European Commission
Subjects: EU Member State, Roma, access to education, action programme, job access, marginalisation, organisation of health care, racial discrimination, right to housing, social integration

EN 

   EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 27.6.2016  COM(2016) 424 final   COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Assessing the implementation of the EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies and the Council Recommendation on effective Roma integration measures in the Member States - 2016 {SWD(2016) 209 final}  
 
 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND 
SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

Assessing the implementation of the EU Framework for National Roma 
Integration Strategies and the Council Recommendation on effective Roma 
integration measures in the Member States — 2016 

1. Introduction 
Under  the  EU  Framework  for  National  Roma  Integration  Strategies  up  to  2020,1  Member 
States committed to develop, implement and monitor strategies2 in line with a comprehensive 
evidence-based approach. The Commission assesses the implementation and reports annually 
to the European Parliament and the Council. The EU Framework was reinforced by a Council 
Recommendation  on  effective  Roma  integration  measures.3  The  Recommendation  extended 
the Framework to additional areas and called on Member States to communicate annually to 
the  Commission  measures  taken  in  line  with  the  Recommendation  and  progress  achieved  in 
implementing the strategies.  
This  Communication  reports  on  the  overall  conclusions  regarding  progress  in  implementing 
the EU Framework. It also reviews, for the first time, Roma integration measures put in place 
under the Council Recommendation. The accompanying Staff Working Document presents a 
country-by-country assessment, and highlights examples of practices in the various thematic 
areas. A detailed reporting template has been developed to support Member States’ reporting.4 
Some  Member  States  (France,  Germany,  Slovenia)  opted  for  alternative  reporting,  while 
others (Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands)5 did not report on their measures. 

2. The Commission’s role in supporting Member States 
The  Commission  has  linked  monitoring  progress  in  Roma  inclusion  to  its  wider  growth 
agenda,  Europe  2020.  Since  2012,  five  Member  States  with  the  largest  Roma  communities 
and the most acute challenges have received Country-Specific Recommendations on how to 
make mainstream policies more inclusive for Roma. In 2016 the Recommendations proposed 
by  the  Commission  focus  on  promoting  the  participation  of  Roma  children  in  quality 
mainstream education.6 Legal, policy and financial instruments at European level have been 
fully aligned with the launch of the 2014-2020 financial programming period.  

1 COM(2011) 173 final, endorsed by the Heads of State and Governments on 23-24 June 2011. 
2 The term strategy is also used to cover integrated sets of policy measures. Member States are referred to by the following 
abbreviations:  AT-Austria,  BE-Belgium,  BG-Bulgaria,  CY-Cyprus,  CZ-Czech  Republic,  DE-Germany,  DK-Denmark,  EE-
Estonia,  EL-Greece,  ES-Spain,  FI-Finland,  FR-France,  HU-Hungary,  HR-Croatia,  IE-  Ireland,  IT-Italy,  LT-Lithuania,  LU-
Luxemburg,  LV-Latvia,  MT-Malta,  NL-Netherlands,  PL-Poland,  PT-Portugal,  RO-Romania,  SE-Sweden,  SI-Slovenia,  SK-
Slovakia, UK-United Kingdom. Malta does not have a Roma population on its territory. 
3 OJ C 378, 24.12.2013, 01. 
4  The  Working  Party  on  Roma  indicators,  facilitated  by  the  Fundamental  Rights  Agency  and  with  the  participation  of  17 
Member States (AT, BE, BG, CZ, EL, ES, FI, FR, HR, HU, IE, IT, NL, PT, RO, SK, UK) developed the reporting framework 
following  the  structure  of  the  Recommendation.  A  Roma  integration  indicator  framework  linking  measures  with  inputs  and 
results still needs to be finalised. 
5 NL provided a qualitative study commissioned by the government from the Erasmus University on the living conditions of 
Roma. DK remained without a nominated National Roma Contact Point for an extended period. A contact point was recently 
appointed, but no report on measures put in place under the Council Recommendation has been provided to the Commission. 
6 BG, CZ, HU, RO, SK: http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020/making-it-happen/country-specific-recommendations/index_en.htm. 

2 

 
 
 
                                                            
2.1. Building capacity and promoting cooperation 
The Commission continues to facilitate dialogue among Member States under the network of 
National Roma Contact Points.7 It also continues the work of the Roma Taskforce, which 
brings together relevant Commission departments that contribute to the EU Roma integration 
process. Bilateral monitoring visits to Member States take place with in-depth discussions 
between  Commission,  national  and  local  authorities  and  civil  society,  as  well  as  visits  to 
Roma communities. 
The  European  Platform  for  Roma  Inclusion,  which  gathers  all  stakeholders  at  European 
level,  was  reformed  in  2015  to  ensure  a  more  participatory  process.  The  European  civil 
society umbrella organisations that are in regular dialogue with the Commission were closely 
involved in reforming and preparing the European Platform, which in 2015 focused on multi-
stakeholder cooperation and fighting discrimination and anti-Gypsyism. 
The Commission committed to support Member States in the development of National Roma 
Platforms.  These  should  play  a  crucial  role  in  ensuring  the  transparent  and  inclusive 
involvement of all stakeholders in implementation, monitoring and reporting activities. 
The  Commission  also  reinforced  local  capacity  building  and  networking  initiatives  by 
supporting: 
• 

twinning  of  local  authorities  (under  the  ‘for  Roma  with  Roma’  transnational 
campaign);8 
joint  programmes9  with  the  Council  of  Europe  to  invest  in  mediation,  structured 
dialogue and capacity building of Roma communities and local authorities;  

• 

•  networks of transnational cooperation between authorities at national and local level, as 

well as (pro) Roma NGOs. 

2.2. Fighting discrimination and anti-Gypsyism 
In  2015,  the  Commission  stepped  up  action  to  fight  discrimination,  segregation  and  anti-
Gypsyism, including hate speech and hate crime. As guardian of the Treaties, the Commission 
has  a  role  to  guarantee  that  anti-discrimination  legislation,  such  as  the  Racial  Equality 
Directive,10  is  properly  transposed  and  enforced.  The  Commission  launched  a  second 
infringement  case  on  the  discrimination  of  Roma  children  in  education,11  and  continued  to 
investigate suspected discrimination in education and housing in several Member States. 
The Commission entered dialogue with Member States to ensure full and correct transposition 
and implementation of the Council Framework Decision on racism and xenophobia12 after 
having  acquired  the  power  to  oversee  its  application.  It  also  stepped  up  efforts  to  assist 
Member States to ensure effective action on the ground against hate speech and hate crime. It 
entered into discussion with IT companies, Member States and civil society to ensure the fast 
removal of illegal hate speech online and to promote the development of counter-narratives. 
The  Commission  launched  the  ‘for  Roma  with  Roma’  transnational  awareness-raising 
campaign. It aims at fighting anti-Roma stereotypes through working with media, promoting 

7  The  network  meets  twice  a  year.  It  was  set  up  in  2012  to  promote  mutual  learning  and  cooperation  on  implementing 
National Roma Integration Strategies and to provide Commission support on issues identified by Contact Points. Thematic 
working groups (currently focusing on transnational cooperation and Roma children) under the network allow for more in-
depth discussions. 
8 http://ec.europa.eu/justice/discrimination/roma/for-roma-with-roma/index_en.htm. 
9 ROMED2 and ROMACT programmes. 
10 Council Directive 2000/43/EC of 29 June 2000 implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective 
of racial or ethnic origin, OJ L180, 19.07.2000. 
11 Slovakia in April 2015. The first proceeding was launched in September 2014 against the Czech Republic. 
12 2008/913/JHA, OJ L 328, 28.11.2008. 

3 

 
 
                                                            
cultural  understanding,  organising  school  drawing  competitions  and  supporting  twinning 
projects between local authorities. 
In  2015,  the  Commission  published  a  set  of  three  reference  materials  to  support  Member 
States in fighting discrimination and segregation: 
•  Guidance on how the 2014-2020 European Structural and Investment Funds can be used 
to  tackle  educational  and  spatial  segregation,  with  experts  providing  implementation 
advice to the Member States most concerned.13 

•  Know  your  rights  brochure  with  guidance  on  how  to  present  a  discrimination  claim, 
explaining victims’ rights in straightforward language to improve enforcement of equality 
directives and rights awareness.14 

•  European  Toolkit  for  Schools  on  good  practices  in  education,  including  practices  on 

providing targeted support to Roma children and working with Roma families.15 

The  Commission  strongly  supported  the  European  Parliament  resolution16  on  anti-
Gypsyism and the EU recognition of the memorial day of the Roma genocide. Under its 
Europe for Citizens programme, the Commission funded projects commemorating the Roma 
holocaust,  and  —  under  the  Rights,  Equality  and  Citizenship  Programme  —  local,  national 
and transnational projects on Roma integration and anti-discrimination. 

3. State of play on Roma integration in Member States 
In  addition  to  the  economic  and  financial  crisis,  the  refugee  crisis  posed  an  unprecedented 
challenge  for  Member  States.  Public  authorities  are  under  pressure  to  address  the  needs  of 
newly  arrived  refugees,  besides  their  own  vulnerable  Roma  citizens  and  the  EU  or  third 
country  nationals  of  Roma  origin  living  in  their  territory.  Despite  the  challenges  that  the 
integration  of  these  communities  present,  Member  States  should  not  prioritise  one  over  the 
other.  A  balanced  approach,  reconciling  all  integration  needs  with  mutually  supportive  and 
coordinated actions, is required. 
This assessment is based on information provided by Member States, complemented by input 
from  civil  society.  Efforts  under  the  Working  Party  on  Roma  integration  indicators 
(coordinated by the Fundamental Rights Agency with the participation of 17 Member States 
and the Commission) were made to develop a common framework of Roma indicators. While 
the  process  has  resulted  in  a  detailed  reporting  template  on  measures  put  in  place,  further 
work is needed on a Roma integration indicator framework to enable the linking of measures 
with inputs and results. The template used for this year’s reporting posed challenges to some 
Member  States.  The  Commission  is  committed  to  developing  a  user-friendly  reporting 
methodology closely linked with the indicator framework. 

3.1. Horizontal measures 
Discrimination continues to be widespread across the EU and is present in all societies, 
and in all key areas. This is confirmed by the findings of the recent Eurobarometer survey17 
and  feedback  from  civil  society.  Member  States  focus  on  promoting  intercultural  dialogue, 
diversity, information on Roma history and culture, including the Roma holocaust. Some of 
them already include this information in their school curricula. It is important to address the 
fight  against  discrimination  of  Roma  by  educating  children  and  putting  education  in  this 
wider  perspective.  Some  Member  States  put  in  place  training  activities  aimed  at  sensitising 

13 http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/docgener/informat/2014/thematic_guidance_fiche_segregation_en.pdf. 
14 http://ec.europa.eu/justice/discrimination/files/rights_against_discrimination_web_en.pdf. 
15 http://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/resources/toolkitsforschools/general.htm. 
16 15.04.2015, 2015/2615(RSP). 
17 Special Eurobarometer 437, 2015. 

4 

 
 
                                                            
civil servants and service providers so that they have proper intercultural understanding when 
working  with  Roma.  Some  also  run  campaigns  against  hate  crime.  All  these  measures  are 
essential in order to promote equality. Member States are encouraged to develop them. 
Despite  these  efforts,  no  real  improvements  can  be  seen  on  the  ground.  Therefore  a  more 
systematic approach is needed and Member States are urged to demonstrate greater political 
will to combat discrimination. Anti-Gypsyism as a specific form of racism, closely related 
to  deeply  rooted  stereotypes  and  stigmatisation  of  Roma,  is  on  the  rise.  It  is  related  to 
increased radicalisation and extremism in the EU. It is crucial that public authorities distance 
themselves  from  racist  and  xenophobic  discourse  that  targets  Roma  and  effectively 
criminalise anti-Roma rhetoric, hate speech and hate crime. It is important to realise that a 
reluctance to act also contributes to the acceptance of intolerance in societies. 
Although  some  Member  States  took  steps  to  eliminate  discrimination  and  segregation  of 
Roma through the adoption of pro-inclusive legislation – notably in the field of education to 
foster  an  equal  access  for  Roma  children  in  mainstream  education18  –  exclusion  from  the 
workplace,  segregation  in  education  and  housing  persist.  Therefore  Member  States  should 
also  make  greater  efforts  to  ensure  the  effective  practical  enforcement  of  anti-
discrimination  legislation  in  order  to  effectively  eliminate  discriminatory  and  segregation 
practices.  
Most Member States reported measures on promoting Roma participation, but more focus on 
Roma  youth  is  needed.  The  situation  of  Roma  children  remains  particularly  worrying. 
Some  Member  States  undertake  measures  to  fight  harassment  and  bullying.  Still,  exclusion 
continues.  In  some  Member  States,  it  is  linked  to  the  lack  of  registration  and  identity 
documents, low participation in early childhood education and care, and higher drop-out rates. 

Measures recommended by the Council 

Ensure effective practical enforcement of the Racial Equality Directive  

Implement desegregation measures regionally and locally 
Ensure that forced evictions are in full compliance with EU law and 
international human rights obligations 
Raise awareness about the benefits of Roma integration 
Raise public awareness of the diverse nature of societies, sensitise 
public opinion to Roma inclusion 
Combat anti-Roma rhetoric and hate speech 

Combat multiple discrimination of Roma children and women 

Fight (domestic) violence against women and girls 
Fight trafficking in human beings 
Fight underage and forced marriages, and begging involving children 
Support the active citizenship of Roma by promoting their social, 
economic, political and cultural participation  
Promote the training and employment of qualified mediators  
Raise rights awareness among Roma 

Other 

18 BG, CZ, SK 

Member  States  that  have  reported 
a measure 
BE, BG, CZ, DE, FI, HR, IT, LT, SI, 
SK, UK 
ES, HR, SK 
- 

AT, ES, LV 
AT, DE, ES, LV, PT, SI, SK, 

AT, DE, ES, HR, SE, SK 
AT,  CZ,  DE,  ES,  HR,  HU,  PT,  SE, 
SI, SK 
AT, DE, EL, ES, FI, HR, HU, UK 
AT, BG, HR, HU, IT 
SI  
AT,  BE,  BG,  CZ,  DE,  ES,  FI,  HR, 
HU, LT, LV, PT, SE, SI SK, UK 
BE, BG, CZ, ES, HR, PT, SI 
AT, DE, ES, HR 
BE,  BG,  FR,  HU,  HR,  IT,  LV  PT, 
UK 

5 

 
 
 
                                                            
Roma  women  are  mainly  addressed  under  mainstream  measures.  However,  given  that  they 
face multiple forms of discrimination (violence, trafficking in human beings and underage and 
forced marriages, and begging involving children), they should also be addressed with more 
targeted measures as part of a gender specific and child sensitive strategic approach. Action in 
these areas is largely lacking despite indications of an increase in the trafficking of Roma for 
these purposes.19 
Member  States  should  better  address  the  specific  situation  of  Roma  using  a  combination  of 
mainstream  and  targeted  measures  to  ensure  their  effective  equal  access  to  rights  and 
mainstream services. 

3.2. Education 
Education continues to receive the most attention by Member States in their integration 
measures.  The  majority  of  Member  States  reported  measures  relevant  to  early  childhood 
education  and  care,  early  school  leaving,  inclusive  education  and  individualised  support. 
Many Member States have adopted early school leaving strategies, but these do not explicitly 
target  Roma,  who  continue  to  be  over-represented  among  early  school  leavers.  Attention  to 
promoting  access  to  and  quality  of  early  education  is  considerable,  which  serves  to  prevent 
later school leaving and improve educational outcomes. A positive paradigm shift recognising 
the central importance of early education has become visible in recent years. This is shown by 
increased funds allocated to building kindergartens and legislative changes in several Member 
States to introduce or extend compulsory preschool education.20 

Measures recommended by the Council 
Eliminate segregation 
End misplacement in special needs schools 

Fight early school leaving 

Promote access to and quality of early childhood 
education and care 
Provide individualised support 

Promote inclusive teaching and learning methods 

Encourage parental involvement and teacher 
training 
Promote participation and completion of 
secondary and higher education 
Widen access to second-chance education and 
adult learning 
Other 

Member States that have reported a measure 
BE, BG, ES, IE, IT, RO, SI, SK 
BG, CZ, SK 
AT,  BE,  BG,  CY,  DE,  ES,  FI,  FR,  HR,  HU,  IT,  RO,  SE, 
SK, UK 
AT, BG, CZ, ES, FI, HR, HU, IT, PL, RO, SK 

AT, CZ, DE, ES, HR, IT, LT, LV, PL, RO, SK, UK 
AT, BG, CY, CZ, DE, ES, HR, HU, LV, PT, RO, SI,SK, 
UK 
AT, BE, BG, CY, DE, ES, FI, IT, LV, SI, SK 

AT, BG, CZ, DE, ES, FI, HR, HU, PL, UK 

UK, BG, CY, DE, ES, SI 

BE, CZ, ES, FI, DE, HR, HU, IT, LT, LV, RO, SI, SK, UK 

A  more  recent  positive  development  is  the  promotion  of  inclusive  education  and 
individualised  support  to  children  in  mainstream  education,  which  serves  to  prevent 
placement  in  special  schools  on  the  basis  of  social  background.  A  pro-inclusive  legal 
environment, which has been reinforced in several Member States, needs to be accompanied 
by  effective  implementation  measures.  Proper  monitoring,  sustainable  funding  and  relevant 
teacher education must be secured to achieve tangible results. More attention must be paid to 
offering  second  chance  education  and  adult  learning,  facilitating  the  transition  between 
education  levels,  including  tertiary  education.  Pursuing  active  desegregation  measures  to 

19 Europol: Situation Report — Trafficking in human beings in the EU. 
20 BG, CZ, HU, FI 

6 

 
 
 
                                                            
provide good quality education to Roma children in a mainstream setting should be a priority. 
Training  programmes  should  correspond  to  real  labour  market  needs  to  effectively  improve 
employment prospects.   

3.3. Employment 

Roma participation in the labour market remains very weak. Member States gave priority 
to mainstream measures for the unemployed, training, and subsidised jobs for the long-term 
unemployed. Member States also offer activation/public work, and measures for people with 
migrant  background  without,  however,  significant  impact  on  Roma.  Most  of  them  reported 
measures  supporting  a  first  work  experience,  vocational  or  on-the-job  training,  lifelong 
learning and skills development. Several Member States have taken initiatives on mainstream 
employment  services  and  self-employment  or  entrepreneurship.  Despite  all  these  measures, 
Roma  still  remain  the  most  under-represented  group  in  the  labour  market.  Low  levels  of 
education  and  skills  and  widespread  discrimination  are  factors  explaining  poor  employment 
outcomes.  Activation  and  public  work  have  possibly  improved  employment  statistics,  but 
instead  of  providing  a  bridge  to  the  open  labour  market,  they  had  a  lock-in  effect  keeping 
participants in low-quality, low-income jobs that are insufficient to break out of poverty. 

Measures recommended by the Council 
Support first work experience, vocational training, on-the-
job training and lifelong learning 
Support self-employment and entrepreneurship 
Provide  equal  access  to  mainstream  public  employment 
services with individualised support 
Eliminate 
barriers, 
(re)entering the labour market 
Other 

discrimination, 

including 

to 

Member States that have reported a measure 
AT,  BE,  BG,  DE,  EL,  ES,  FI,  HR,  HU,  IT,  LT, 
LV, PL, PT,SI, SK, UK 
AT, BE, BG, ES, HR, HU, LT, SI, SK 
AT,  BE,  BG, DE,  ES,  FR,  HR,  HU,  IT,  LV,  PT, 
SE, SI, SK 
AT, FI, DE, ES, HR, HU, LT, SK, UK 

BE, CZ, EL, HU, LT, PT, RO, SK 

It  is  evident  that  all-encompassing,  tailored  approaches  are  needed.  Innovative  measures  — 
promoting social enterprises and Roma entrepreneurship, incentives for employers, reaching 
out  to  private  employers,  targeting  Roma  under  the  Youth  Guarantee,  and  promoting  social 
consideration in public procurement — should be better exploited, as well as integrated active 
inclusion approaches. It is also crucial that the impact of all measures on Roma employment 
is  closely  monitored.  The  fight  against  discriminatory  practices  in  the labour  market  should 
also be reinforced, and there should be closer cooperation with labour inspection. Allocations 
under  the  European  Social  Fund  should  be  fully  mobilised  to  ensure  the  efficiency  and 
sustainability  of  measures  through  integrated  and  personalised  support.  Opportunities  under 
the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development should also be fully used to promote 
Roma employment in rural areas, where the majority of Roma live. 

3.4. Health 

Tackling  the  health  inequalities  endured  by  Roma  remains  an  ongoing  challenge,  in 
particular in the most deprived areas. Most Member States reported measures that facilitate 
access to healthcare and focus on preventive, protective measures, in particular vaccination of 
children, family planning and raising health awareness. They also work with the NGO sector. 
However,  for  some  Roma,  access  to  health  is  limited  because  of  a  lack  of  registration  and 
health insurance coverage. Further efforts are needed to reach out to these vulnerable people, 
including  through  their  participation  in  health  and  social  care  initiatives.  Awareness-raising 

7 

 
 
 
 
activities targeting both healthcare professionals and Roma should also be put in place in all 
Member States. 

Measures recommended by the Council 

Remove barriers to access the healthcare system 

Improve access to medical check-ups, pre- and 
postnatal care, family planning, etc. 

Promote access to free vaccination programmes 
targeting children, and the most disadvantaged 
groups and areas 
Promote health awareness 
Other 

Member States that have reported a measure 
AT, BE, BG, CZ, DE, ES, FI, FR, HU, LT, PL,RO, SE, 
SI, SK, UK 
AT, BG, DE, ES, IT, PL, SI, SK 

AT, BE, BG, DE, ES, HU, PL, RO, SI, SK 

AT, BG, CZ, DE, ES, FI, HR, HU, IT, PL, SI, SK 
BE, BG, EL, ES, FI, HR, IT, LT, PL, SK 

3.5. Housing 

The most important housing challenges  — namely fighting segregation and preventing 
forced  evictions  —  were  insufficiently  addressed.21  Several  Member  States  reported 
measures  promoting  non-discriminatory  access  to  social  housing,  while  others  reported 
fighting segregation. Both areas should be important for further joined-up, robust action, to be 
potentially financed from EU funds. Use of European Structural and Investment Funds (ESI 
Funds) leading to (further) segregation of facilities should be avoided. Addressing segregation 
requires a long-term approach. Prerequisites to successful desegregation include:  
• 
targeting regions lagging behind and those at risk; 
•  ensuring  coordination  between  stakeholders  and 

involvement  of  affected  Roma 

communities in implementation; 

•  combining infrastructure and human resource development; 
• 
legalising housing; 
• 
launching preparatory and accompanying measures; 
•  providing adequate housing in an integrated setting;  
•  anchoring desegregation into an integrated approach. 

Measures recommended by the Council 
Eliminate any spatial segregation and promote 
desegregation 
Promote non-discriminatory access to social housing 
Provide halting sites for non-sedentary Roma 
Ensure access to public utilities 

Other 

Member States that have reported a measure 
CZ, HU, ES, IT, RO 

AT, BE, BG, CZ, DE, ES, FI, FR, IT, SK, UK 
AT, BE, FR, UK 
ES, HR, RO, SI 
AT, BE, BG, CZ, ES, HR, HU, IT, LT, PL, PT, RO, 
SK 

Some of the countries concerned have also put in place measures regarding another priority 
highlighted  by  the  EU  Framework  and  the  Recommendation:  providing  halting  sites  for 
travellers  in  proportion  to  local  needs.  Access  to  public  utilities  should  be  addressed  by  all 
Member States concerned in order to improve Roma living conditions. 

21  International  human  rights  organisations  and  civil  society  raised  multiple  concerns  during  2015  on  a  series  of  forced 
evictions  that  took  place  in  several  Member  States.  See  for  example  http://www.coe.int/en/web/commissioner/-/european-
countries-must-stop-forced-evictions-of-roma. In the majority of cases, no alternative social housing was provided, and in some 
cases children were removed from their families. 

8 

 
 
 
 
                                                            
3.6. Structural measures 
Positive  steps  have  been  taken  in  enforcing  the  work  and  institutional  capacity  of  the 
National  Roma  Contact  Points,  although  their  mandate  and  resources  still  vary 
considerably.  Many  of  them  are  involved  not  only  in  the  coordination  of  relevant  policies, 
but also in their design and revision. Many were actively involved in aligning policy priorities 
with available funding for the 2014-2020 programming period.22 Their efforts contributed to 
the  selection  of  the  socioeconomic  integration  of  marginalised  Roma  communities  as  a 
specific  investment  priority  under  the  operational  programmes.  This  secured  sustainable 
funding for Roma integration measures until 2020. 
Some  National  Roma  Contact  Points  work  closely  with  local  authorities,  providing 
methodological support in  developing local action plans, and cooperate with  representatives 
of  (pro)  Roma  civil  society.  Their  visibility  to  all  stakeholders  is  increasing.  There  is, 
however,  need  for  further  improvement,  in  particular  in  respect  of  cooperation  with  local 
authorities,  civil  society  and  especially  the  private  sector  in  implementation.  Reports 
from Member States reveal that national public authorities implement the majority of reported 
measures, especially in education and health, while local authorities are typically responsible 
for implementing measures in housing and employment. Civil organisations are most active in 
health,  followed  by  education,  but  their  partnership  in  implementation  in  all  relevant  fields 
should  be  further  promoted.  The  potential  role  of  the  private  sector  remains  largely 
unexplored. 
In  many  Member  States,  cooperation  between  the  Contact  Points  and  Equality  Bodies23  is 
established. Both actors feed policies and provide support, when relevant. There is still a need 
to increase the human and financial resources for both, to improve their cooperation and make 
it more effective. 
The  importance  of  transnational  cooperation  is  increasingly  recognised,  practised  and 
promoted by all those concerned at all levels. Exchange of best practice takes place between 
authorities both at national level (e.g. the EURoma network bringing together contact points 
and  managing  authorities  to  improve  the  use  of  ESI  Funds  for  Roma  inclusion),  and  at 
municipal  level  (e.g.  under  the  EU  strategy  for  the  Danube  region).  Bilateral  national 
agreements  (e.g.  France-Romania,  Sweden-Romania)  have  been  concluded  to  step  up 
transnational  cooperation  for  Roma  integration.  Local  level  transnational  cooperation  also 
covers  Roma  integration  (e.g.  under  the  EUROCITIES  Roma  Taskforce  or  the  new 
component under the ROMACT programme in support of capacity building and transnational 
cooperation  activities  to  assist  local  authorities).  Several  positive  examples  of  cooperation 
between municipalities in Western and Eastern Europe focus on providing services to Roma, 
including  in  the  area  of  education  (e.g.  Glasgow  and  Oslo  with  Belfast,  Arad,  Craiova, 
Timisoara) and employment (e.g. Ghent with Glasgow, Athens, Malmö). 
Member  States  have  taken  steps  to  develop  monitoring  of  National  Roma  Integration 
Strategies.  The  ESIF  requirement  of  having  strong  monitoring  methods  in  place  has  an 
important  role  in  improving  the  evaluation  of  the  impact  of  Roma  integration  measures.  
Nevertheless,  further  efforts  are  necessary  to  enable  an  assessment  of  the  results  of  the 
reported targeted and mainstream  measures on Roma, including  their impact on segregation 
trends,  Roma  school  attainment  and  employment  levels,  and  access  to  housing  and  health 
services in an integrated setting. To this end, the Fundamental  Rights Agency will continue 
the work on developing Roma integration indicators, which should feed the development of 
the reporting methodology by gathering inputs from all relevant stakeholders. The monitoring 

22 On ESI Funds: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/funding/; on strengthened partnership in planning, implementing and 
monitoring ESI funding: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/policy/what/glossary/e/european-code-of-conduct. 
23 Bodies established under EU’s equality directives 2000/43/EC, 2004/113/EC and 2006/54/EC. 

9 

 
 
                                                            
of  Roma  integration  measures  and  ESI  Funds  for  Roma  inclusion  should  be  better  aligned 
through closer coordination of contact points and the managing authorities for ESI Funds to 
ensure that funds reach Roma. 

3.7. Funding 
In its 2015 Communication, the Commission presented the opportunities available under the 
2014-2020  programming  period.  Member  States’  broader  funding  allocations  for  social 
inclusion  and  fighting  poverty  and  discrimination  are  reported  by  country  in  the  Staff 
Working Document. It should be noted that under their broader allocation for social inclusion, 
12  Member  States24  selected  the  new  investment  priority  that  allows  for  explicit,  but  not 
exclusive,  targeting  of  Roma,  and  allocated  to  it  a  total  of  €1,5bio.  Several  other  ESIF 
investment priorities have been identified to contribute to Roma inclusion.25 
In  terms  of  national  public  funding,  among  the  substantive  policy  areas,  education  and 
housing  attract  most  investment,  with  much  less  going  to  employment  and  even  less  for 
health.  Reported  national  funding  for  horizontal  and  structural  measures  is  insignificant.  In 
terms  of  ESI  funding  and  in  line  with  the  Country-Specific  Recommendations  under  the 
European  Semester,  inclusive  (including  early)  education  and  employment  are  the  two 
primary  investment  areas,  with  housing  also  receiving  a  significant  allocation.  The  amount 
allocated  for  health  investments  is  much  lower.  For  horizontal  and  structural  measures,  the 
protection of women and children and the fight against discrimination receive most funding, 
mainly from ESI Funds. 
Several  Member  States  have  developed  mapping  of  Roma  communities  by  introducing 
ethnic or socio-economic indicators (i.e. deprived/segregated neighbourhoods, people most in 
need,  poverty  maps,  etc.)  in  order  to  improve  targeting  and  allocation  of  ESIF  for  Roma 
integration 

4. Enlargement 
Roma integration continues to be a key priority in the enlargement process. The Commission 
works closely  with Western  Balkan countries and Turkey,  and monitors  the implementation 
of commitments. An important effort is being made under the Instrument for Pre-Accession 
Assistance (IPA II) to support Roma integration programmes at national and regional levels. 
However,  the  situation  of  most  Roma  communities  remains  a  matter  of  concern.  Adopting 
legislative or policy documents is not enough. Adequate budgetary means should be allocated 
at  national  level  to  implement  integration  measures,  with  special  attention  given  to  local 
implementation.  Roma  communities  need  to  be  fully  involved  in  planning,  implementation 
and  monitoring.  The  Roma  Decade26  ensured  that  Roma  integration  became  part  of  the 
political agenda. The post-Decade phase should concentrate on achieving measurable results 
on  the  ground,  clearly  reducing  the  gap  between  Roma  and  non-Roma,  and  with  special 
attention to priority areas (education, employment, health, housing and civil documentation) 
as well as in the cross-cutting fields related to gender and anti-Gypsyism. Roma integration 
policies must be reinforced in response to the current refugee crisis; a significant portion of 
returnees to the Western Balkans, designated now as safe countries of origin, are Roma. 

24 AT, BE, BG, CZ, ES, FR, EL, HU, IT, PL, RO, SK  
25 E.g. Under the European Social Fund: reducing early school-leaving and promoting equal access to good quality early-
childhood, primary and secondary education; or combating all forms of discrimination and promoting equal opportunities. 
Under the European Regional Development Fund: social, health or education infrastructure or support for the physical, 
economic and social regeneration of deprived communities. 
26 http://www.romadecade.org/. 

10 

 
 
                                                            
5. Conclusions and way forward 
The legal, policy and funding instruments at European level have been put in place. Member 
States  have  set  up  coordination  structures,  introduced  targeted  and  mainstream  measures  in 
response to the Council Recommendation, and they have allocated funding. The assessment 
identified some positive trends, such as the growing focus on early childhood education, the 
new  linkage  between  policy  priorities  of  Roma  integration  and  the  use  of  2014-2020  ESI 
Funds  and  the  role  of  National  Roma  Contact  Points  in  planning  this  funding.  However, 
efforts  could  not  prevent  further  deterioration  of  the  living  conditions  of  Roma  and 
widespread  hostility  of  majority  societies.  Serious  bottlenecks  have  been  identified  in 
fighting  anti-Roma  discrimination,  especially  residential  and  educational  segregation  and 
prevention  of  forced  evictions.  Ensuring  sustainable  local  commitment  and  implementation 
remains  to  be  addressed.  Cooperation  with  civil  society  and  private  sector  engagement  in 
implementation  remain  insufficient.  Accounting  for  the  impact  of  integration  efforts  on  the 
ground should also be improved. 
Member States should ensure a political recommitment to Roma integration so that legal, 
policy and financial instruments in place are fully used to bring tangible results on the ground. 
Local implementation is of the utmost importance. 
The Commission calls on Member States to address the following urgent priorities: 
  Enforce  anti-discrimination  and  anti-racism  and  xenophobia 

legislation  and 

safeguards at national and local levels by:  
o  monitoring, fighting, reporting and sanctioning anti-Roma discrimination in all policy 

areas;  

o  criminalising  public  incitement  to  violence  or  hatred  including  on  the  grounds  of 

ethnic origin;  

o  addressing  trafficking  in  human  beings  with  gender  specific  and  child  sensitive 

measures;  

o  targeting  majority  society  and  key  stakeholders  with  awareness  raising  and  anti-
discrimination  campaigns  to  promote  understanding  of  the  economic  imperative  and 
mutual benefits of Roma inclusion. 

  Prevent  evictions  on  the  grounds  of  ethnic  origin  by  ensuring  that  any  evictions  take 
place  in  full  respect  of  fundamental  rights,  providing  adequate  alternative  housing  to 
evicted  families  to  avoid  homelessness  and  aggravating  exclusion,  and  by  exploring  the 
opportunities under ESI Funds' investments to improve the housing situation of Roma. 
  Eliminate  segregation  in  education  and  housing  in  line  with  Commission  guidance 
through legislation, inclusive policy reform, teacher education, dissemination of inclusive 
methods and explicit desegregation measures combined with targeted support to tackle all 
barriers to access, using opportunities under ESI Funds to the full.   

  Put  in  place  safeguards  and  targeted  measures  to  ensure  that  mainstream 

interventions effectively reach out to Roma, especially in employment and health. 

  Extend and  multiply smaller scale initiatives that  have  proved to  be successful, using 

2014-2020 funds. 

  Further  develop  data  collection,  monitoring  and  reporting  methodologies  to  meet 
expectations  of  accountability  for  the  use  of  public  funds  and  ensure  that  the  impact  of 
targeted and mainstream measures on Roma is assessed and that it leads to policy learning 
and review. 

  Make  full  use  of  National  Roma  Platforms  to  ensure  inclusive  involvement  of  all 
stakeholders  in  implementation,  monitoring,  reporting  and  policy  review,  to  promote 
exchange,  evaluation  and  transfer  of  good  practices,  to  build  partnerships  and  to  further 
mobilise Roma communities, local authorities, civil society and the private sector. 

11 

 
 
The Commission will continue to support Member States, ensure the necessary commitment 
to Roma inclusion at the European level, and use all available means to promote dialogue and 
cooperation. Key Commission priorities include the following: 
  Take action to ensure full enforcement of anti-discrimination legislation and to fight 

anti-Gypsyism by making use of available legal instruments.   

  Support National Roma Platforms to promote inclusive cooperation of all stakeholders 

at the national level. 

  Support Member States’ Roma integration efforts by facilitating exchange, cooperation 
and  focused  thematic  discussion  under  the  network  of  National  Roma  Contact 
Points. 

  Ensure  high-level  dialogue  and  policy  guidance  by  pursuing  bilateral  monitoring 

missions, involving national and local authorities as well as civil society. 

  Promote  participation  and  dialogue  at  the  European  level  of  all  stakeholders  under  the 

reformed European platform for Roma inclusion. 

  Support  capacity  building  of  local  authorities  and  civil  society  in  order  to  promote 

their active mobilisation. 

  Develop a post-2020 strategic approach to Roma integration, in view of the possible 
revision of the Council Recommendation foreseen for 2019, taking into account remaining 
gaps  between  Roma  and  non-Roma  in  education,  employment,  health  and  housing,  and 
the fight against discrimination, as well as ongoing reflections on a midterm evaluation of 
the EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies. 

12