Proposal for a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on Roma equality, inclusion and participation
Date: 2020-10-07
Institutions: Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers, European Commission
Subjects: Roma, access to education, equal treatment, ethnic discrimination, health policy, housing, job access, marginalisation, rights of minorities, social integration, social services

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 7.10.2020  COM(2020) 621 final 2020/0288 (NLE)  Proposal for a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on Roma equality, inclusion and participation {SWD(2020) 530}  
 
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

1. 

• 

CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL 

Reasons for and objectives of the proposal 

The proposal for a Council recommendation on Roma equality, inclusion and participation 
responds  to  a  need  at  European  Union  level  to  combat  discrimination  and  achieve  equal 
treatment  of  Europe’s  largest  ethnic  minority,  including  by  promoting  equality  and 
socioeconomic inclusion. This proposal is presented jointly with a Communication from the 
European  Commission  ‘A  Union  of  Equality:  EU  Roma  strategic  framework  for  equality, 
inclusion  and  participation’  (‘the  Communication’)1  which  includes  EU  objectives  and 
headline  targets  and  proposes  the  use  of  a  portfolio  of  indicators  (Annex  2  to  the 
Communication).  

Tackling  discrimination  and  socioeconomic  exclusion  is  even  more  important  in  a  crisis 
context, where poverty and structural inequalities are likely to rise. Therefore, social recovery 
measures  should  reach  out  to  all,  in  particular  the  most  disadvantaged,  irrespective  of  sex, 
racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation. The Commission 
President  Ursula  von  der  Leyen  has  committed  to  promoting  a  Union  of  Equality  and  is 
determined to ‘ensure that equality is at the heart of the recovery’.  
The ‘EU framework for national Roma integration strategies up to 2020’2, adopted by the 
Commission  on  5  April  2011,  is  drawing  to  a  close.  Its  main  objectives  were  to  tackle  the 
socioeconomic exclusion of Roma in the EU and enlargement countries by promoting equal 
access  to  education,  employment,  health  and  housing.  This  framework  called  on  Member 
States  to  design  national  Roma  integration  strategies  and  set  national  goals  based  on  Roma 
integration goals in the above four areas. In 2013, the Council adopted a Recommendation3 
on effective Roma integration measures in the Member States. This was the first EU soft law 
instrument  to  target  the  Roma  explicitly.  The  Recommendation  reinforced  the  EU 
framework by:  

 

 

 

 

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3 

providing guidance to Member States on how to make national measures to improve 
the  integration  of  the  Roma  more  effective  and  how  to  implement  their  national 
Roma integration strategies (NRIS) more effectively; 

recommending  that  Member  States  take  effective  policy  measures  to  ensure  equal 
treatment  for  Roma,  including  equal  access  to  education,  employment,  healthcare 
and  housing,  and  indicating  how  each  of  the  four  goals  (ensuring  equal  access  to 
education, employment, healthcare and housing) could be met; 

stating  that  these  goals  could  be  achieved  through  either  mainstream  or  targeted 
measures,  including specific initiatives to  prevent  or compensate for disadvantages, 
or through a combination of both, with particular attention to the gender dimension; 

focusing  more  closely  on  anti-discrimination,  referring  explicitly  to  antigypsyism, 
and  extending  work  on  Roma  integration  to  new  horizontal  and  structural  areas 
beyond employment, education, health and housing; and 

COM(2020) 620 final. 
COM(2011) 173 final. 
Council Recommendation of 9 December 2013 on effective Roma integration measures in the Member 
States (OJ C 378/1, 24.12.2013). 

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 

calling on Member States to inform the Commission annually, starting from 2016, of 
any measures taken in line with the Recommendation and any progress achieved in 
implementing the strategies. 

The  Conclusions  from  the  Employment,  Social  Policy,  Health  and  Consumer  Affairs 
(EPSCO) Council of 8 December 20164 called on the Commission  ‘to carry out  a mid-term 
evaluation  of  the  EU  framework  for  national  Roma  integration  strategies  up  to  2020  and  to 
propose  a  post  2020  strategy  on  Roma  integration,  and  include  therein  a  proposal  for  a 
revision  of  the  Council  Recommendation’.  The  Commission  carried  out  an  in-depth 
evaluation of the EU Framework5, which was adopted in December 2018, and published the 
staff-working document on the evaluation6.  

The  evaluation  and  the  conclusions  drawn  from  it  by  the  Council,  the  European  Parliament 
and several Europe-wide and national civil society organisations7 show a need to renew and 
step up the commitment to Roma equality. This commitment should ensure a specific focus 
on  non-discrimination,  which  includes  tackling  antigypsyism  and  addressing  the  four 
socioeconomic areas in which inclusion needs to be improved: education, employment, health 
and housing8. It should also reflect the needs of specific groups and diversity within the Roma 
population;  involve  Roma  people  in  designing,  implementing,  monitoring  and  evaluating 
Roma equality and inclusion strategies; improve target setting, data collection, monitoring and 
reporting; and make mainstream policies more sensitive to Roma equality and inclusion.  

In  July  2019,  the  prime  ministers  of  the  Western  Balkans  countries  endorsed  the  Roma 
integration  declaration9,  committing,  by  accession  time,  to  tangible  progress  in  education, 
employment, health, housing, civil registration and non-discrimination.  

In  September  2019,  the  Commission  adopted  the  2019  report  on  the  implementation  of 
national Roma integration strategies10. 

Europe still has a long way to go to achieve equality for its Roma population. Today, the 
marginalisation  of  Roma  persists,  and  many  of  the  continent’s  estimated  10-12  million 
Roma11 continue to face discrimination, antigypsyism, and socioeconomic exclusion in their 
daily  lives.  These  phenomena  are  intertwined.  There  is  no  equality  when  discrimination 
persists,  and  it  is  impossible  to  combat  discrimination  effectively  without  tackling 
antigypsyism  and  improving  the  socioeconomic  inclusion  and  participation  of  the  Roma 

4 

5 
6 
7 

8 

9 

10 
11 

EPSCO  Council  Conclusions  of  8  December  2016,  Accelerating  the  Process  of  Roma  Integration 
(15406/16). 
COM(2018) 785 final. 
SWD(2018) 480 final. 
European Parliament resolution of 12 February 2019 on the need for a strengthened post-2020 Strategic 
EU Framework for National Roma Inclusion Strategies and stepping up the fight against anti-Gypsyism 
(P8_TA(2019)0075).  EPSCO  Council  Conclusion  of  24  October  2019  on  the  Economy  of  Wellbeing 
(13432/19), inviting the Commission to renew the commitment on Roma inclusion. Additionally, at the 
High-Level  Conference  on  the  EU  Framework  for  National  Roma  Integration  Strategies  held  in 
Bucharest  on  4-5  March  2019,  participants  called  on  the  Commission  to  propose  an  ambitious  new 
post-2020  EU  framework,  and  on  Member  States  and  enlargement  countries  to  step  up  their 
commitments to Roma integration. Information from the Presidency (7003/19, 14.3.2019). 
On  the  need  for  a  clearer  focus  on  fighting  antigypsyism  and  discrimination  in  the  post-2020  EU 
framework, see expert recommendations developed in the aftermath of the Conference 'How to address 
anti-Gypsyism in a post-2020 EU Roma Framework?’ (Vienna, 27.11.2018). 
Declaration  of  Western  Balkans  Partners  on  Roma  Integration  within  the  EU  Enlargement  Process, 
endorsed  at  the  Leaders’  Summit  within  the  Western  Balkans  Summit  of  Berlin  Process  Series  in 
Poznań, on 5 July 2019. 
COM(2019) 406 final accompanied by SWD(2019) 320 final. 
See the Council of Europe 2012 estimates. 

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population.  Roma children’s potential is  hampered as  too many of them  do not  enjoy equal 
access to education due to poverty, exclusion and discrimination 

According  to  available  data  gathered  by  the  EU  Agency  for  Fundamental  Rights  in  2011, 
2016 and 2019, overall progress in Roma integration has been limited since 2011, although 
there are significant  differences across policy  areas and countries12. Most progress  has been 
achieved  in  education  (with  reductions  in  early  school  leaving  and  improvements  in 
participation  rates  in  early  childhood  education,  care  and  schooling,  but  increase  in 
segregation).  Despite  the  alleviation  of  poverty  risk  and  improvements  in  self-perceived 
health  status  among  the  Roma,  medical  coverage  remains  limited.  There  has  been  no 
statistically  significant  improvement  in  access  to  employment,  and  the  proportion  of  young 
Roma  people  not  in  employment,  education  or  training  has  actually  increased.  The  housing 
situation remains complex and is one of the biggest challenges the Roma community is facing 
in the European Union and beyond. Antigypsyism continues to give serious cause for concern. 
At the same time, there is some evidence of a slight reduction in Roma people’s experiences 
of  discrimination  when  accessing  certain  types  of  service.  Under  Council  Directive 
2000/43/EC of 29 June 2000 implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons 
irrespective of racial or ethnic origin (the ‘Racial Equality Directive’)13, the Commission has 
initiated  infringement  procedures  against  three  countries  for  school  segregation  of  Roma 
children14.  

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the extreme exposure of excluded and marginalised 
Roma  communities  to  both  short-term  negative  health  impacts  and  to  medium-term 
socioeconomic  impacts.  Roma  children  living  in  marginalised  communities  are  among  the 
hardest  hit  by  the  pandemic.  Distance  learning  has  been  impossible  for  too  many  Roma 
children living in households without IT facilities or electricity.  The crisis has also revealed 
the urgent need for a more efficient policy response at European level. 

The persistence of inequalities and systemic disadvantage represents a loss of human capital 
and resources to Europe’s economies. The disadvantages faced by the Roma population affect 
the economy and societies within Europe. In countries with a larger share of Roma people, 
this group represents a growing proportion of the school-age population and the future labour 
force. Progress  in  socioeconomic inclusion  for the Roma has  the potential  to  reduce labour 
and  skills  shortages  in  times  of  adverse  demographic  developments,  reduce  social 
expenditure,  and  benefit  the  economy.  Investment  in  better  education  and  upskilling  of  a 
previously  excluded  labour  force  can  positively  affect  productivity  growth.  The  European 
Union  must  address  inequalities  more  effectively  by  ensuring  that  Roma  people  can  make 
full use of social protection systems and ensure that Roma people can deploy their potential to 
contribute  to  the  economy  and  society  in  general,  which  will  lead  to  better  social  and 
economic outcomes for all. This proposal, combined with the Communication, adopted by 
the Commission at the same time, has the potential to address the inequalities affecting 
the Roma population and lead to better social outcomes for all. 

The proposal for a recommendation takes stock of the measures reported by Member States 
since  2016  under  the  2013  Council  recommendation,  and  reviews  and  expands  them.  The 
purpose  is  to  renew  and  replace  the  2013  instrument,  by  providing  stronger  guidance  to 
Member  States  and  confirming  their  renewed  long-term  commitment  to  addressing  the 

12 

13 
14 

Report  on  the  evaluation  of  the  EU  framework  for  National  Roma  Integration  Strategies  up  to  2020, 
COM(2018) 785 final. 
OJ L 180, 19.7.2000, p. 22. 
CZ, HU, and SK. 

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persistent  problems  and  challenges  facing  the  Roma  community,  which  risk  being 
exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact.  

It  complements  the  Communication.  Both  initiatives  constitute  the  EU  Roma  strategic 
framework up to 2030, which is designed to incorporate the lessons learned from the previous 
EU  framework  for  national  Roma  integration  strategies  up  to  2020  as  regards  areas  of 
intervention,  monitoring  and  reporting  objectives,  cross-sectoral  coordination,  funding  and 
involvement of various stakeholders.  

The proposal falls into five chapters: 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

Chapter  on 
discrimination by promoting: (i) equality, (ii) inclusion and (iii) Roma participation; 

three  horizontal  objectives  designed 

to  prevent  and  combat 

Chapter  on  four  sectoral  objectives:  education,  employment,  health  and  social 
services, and housing and essential services; 

Chapter on partnerships and institutional capacity; 

Chapter on funding; 

Chapter on monitoring and reporting. 

The proposal is designed to ensure synergies with new initiatives developed at European level 
for  the  period  up  to  2030  and  with  the  use  of  Union  funds,  to  improve  implementation  at 
national, regional and local levels. 

• 

Consistency with existing policy provisions in the policy area 

The  recommendation  is  consistent  with  existing  provisions  in  the  field  of  equality.  It 
builds on the EU framework for national Roma integration strategies, due to end in 2020, and 
fully  addresses  the  findings  of  the  evaluation.  It  renews  and  replaces  the  2013  Council 
Recommendation  on  effective  Roma  integration  measures  in  the  Member  States,  to  provide 
Member  States  with  more  relevant  and  effective  guidance  on  how  to  accelerate  progress 
towards equality, inclusion and participation for the Roma over the next 10 years.  

The  proposal  is  consistent  with  and  envisages  the  effective  implementation  of  EU  equality 
legislation,  in  particular  the  Racial  Equality  Directive,  which  prohibits  discrimination  based 
on racial or ethnic origin in employment, social protection, social advantages, education, and 
access to and supply of the goods and services available to the public15. The proposal is also 
consistent with the Commission Recommendation (EU) 2018/95116 establishing standards for 
an  effective  and  independent  functioning  of  bodies  for  the  promotion  of  equal  treatment 
(‘equality bodies’), which were set up under the Racial Equality Directive17. It is also in line 
with  the  Charter  of  Fundamental  Rights  of  the  EU,  which  prohibits  discrimination  on  any 
grounds,  including  race  and  ethnic  origin18.  In  addition,  Council  Framework  Decision 

15 

16 

17 
18 

Council Directive 2000/43/EC of 29 June 2000 implementing the principle of equal treatment between 
persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin (the ‘Racial Equality Directive’), (OJ L 180, 19.7.2000, p. 
22). 
Commission Recommendation (EU) 2018/951 of 22 June 2018 on standards for equality bodies (OJ L 
167, 4.7.2018, p. 28). 
Article 13 of Council Directive 2000/43/EC, (OJ L 180, 19.7.2000, p. 22). 
OJ C 303, 14.12.2007, p. 17. 

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2008/913/JHA is designed to combat, through criminal law, certain forms and manifestations 
of racism and xenophobia19.  

The  current  proposal  is  designed  to  pursue  the  implementation  of  the  European  Pillar  of 
Social  Rights  by  consolidating  principle  3,  ‘equal  opportunities’  and  by  its  relevance  to 
several  other  principles.  It  also  takes  inspiration  from  the  UN  Agenda  2030  and  the  United 
Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

The  proposal  is  consistent  with  recent  strategies  in  the  area  of  equality,  such  as  the  gender 
equality  strategy  for  2020-202520,  the  EU  anti-racism  action  plan  2020-202521  and  the 
forthcoming LGBTI+ equality strategy, which address the specific situation of Roma women 
and Roma LGBTI+ people, respectively, and the EU strategy on victims’ rights22. 

• 

Consistency with other Union policies 

The proposal is consistent with other EU policies, in particular the European pillar of social 
rights, designed to increase social fairness, irrespective of sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion 
or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation. It is part of the specific initiatives implementing 
the  European  pillar  and  consistent  with  similar  initiatives  such  as  the  reinforced  youth 
guarantee23,  the  future  child  guarantee  or  and  the  forthcoming  action  plan  to  implement  the 
pillar. It contributes to the implementation of the EU anti-racism action plan 2020-202524 and 
is consistent with Directive 2012/29/EU, which lays down minimum standards for the rights, 
support  and  protection  of  victims  of  crime25,  with  a  particular  focus  on  victims  of  a  crime 
committed  with  a  bias  or  a  discriminatory  motive.  The  specific  needs  of  Roma  are  already 
included in the new EU victims’ rights strategy and will feature in the upcoming strategy for 
the  implementation  of  the  Charter  of  Fundamental  Rights  of  the  EU.  The  proposal  is  also 
consistent  with  the  EU  legal  and  policy  framework  addressing  trafficking  in  human 
beings26.  The  proposal 
the  Audiovisual  Media  Services 
Directive27which  sets  out  requirements  protecting  users  of  audiovisual  media  services  and 
video sharing platforms from incitement to violence or hatred, as well as from discriminatory 
audiovisual  commercial  communications.  It  also  obliges  video  sharing  platforms  to  take 
appropriate measures to protect users from racist and xenophobic content.  

is  also  compatible  with 

In addition, the proposal ensures coherence between EU policy support on the one hand, and 
legal and funding instruments that can be mobilised and aligned towards Roma equality and 

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24 
25 

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Council  Framework  Decision  2008/913/JHA  of  28 November  2008  on  combating  certain  forms  and 
expressions of racism and xenophobia by means of criminal law (OJ L 328, 6.12.2008, p. 55). 
COM(2020) 152 final. 
COM(2020) 565 final. 
COM(2020) 258 final. 
COM(2020) 277 final. 
COM(2020) 565 final. 
Directive 2012/29/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 establishing 
minimum  standards  on  the  rights,  support  and  protection  of  victims  of  crime,  and  replacing  Council 
Framework Decision 2001/220/JHA (OJ L 315, 14.11.2012, p. 57). 
Directive  2011/36/EU  on  preventing  and  combating  trafficking  in  human  beings  and  protecting  its 
victims, and replacing Council Framework Decision 2002/629/JHA (OJ L 101, 15.04.2011, p1) and the 
2017  Communication  ‘Reporting  on  the  follow  up  to  the  EU  strategy  towards  the  eradication  of 
trafficking in human beings and identifying further concrete actions (COM(2017)728). 
Directive  (EU)  2018/1808  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  14  November  2018 
amending Directive 2010/13/EU on the coordination of certain provisions laid down by law, regulation 
or  administrative  action  in  Member  States  concerning  the  provision  of  audiovisual  media  services 
(Audiovisual Media Services Directive) in view of changing market realities (OJ L 303, 28.11.2018, p. 
69–92). 

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inclusion  on  the  other,  such  as  the  NextGenerationEU,  including  the  Recovery  and 
Resilience Facility and the EU funds. 

2. 

• 

LEGAL BASIS, SUBSIDIARITY AND PROPORTIONALITY 

Legal basis 

Article 292 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), under which the 
Council  adopts  recommendations  on  a  proposal  from  the  Commission,  in  conjunction  with 
Article 19(1) TFEU which provides for appropriate action to combat discrimination based on 
sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation. 

Other relevant legal provisions are: 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union, which states that the Union is founded 
on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of 
law  and  respect  for  human  rights,  including  the  rights  of  persons  belonging  to 
minorities.  These  values  are  common  to  Member  States  in  a  society  in  which 
pluralism,  non-discrimination,  tolerance,  justice,  solidarity  and  equality  between 
women and men prevail. 

Second  subparagraph  of  Article  3(3)  of  the  Treaty  on  European  Union,  under 
which  the  Union  is  required  to  combat  social  exclusion  and  discrimination  and 
promote the protection of the rights of the child. 

Article  10  of  the  Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the  European  Union,  which 
provides  that  the  Union,  in  defining  and  implementing  its  policies  and  activities,  
aims to combat discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, 
disability, age or sexual orientation.  

Article 8 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which states 
that in all its activities, the Union will aim to eliminate inequalities and to promote 
equality  between  men  and  women.  Under  Article  157(3)  of  the  Treaty  on  the 
Functioning of the European Union, the European Parliament and the Council are 
to  adopt  measures  to  ensure  the  application  of  the  principle  of  equal  opportunities 
and  equal  treatment  of  men  and  women  in  matters  of  employment  and  occupation, 
including the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value. 

Article 21 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, which 
prohibits any discrimination on any grounds, such as sex, race, ethnic origin, religion 
or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation. Article 23 of the Charter enshrines the 
right to equality between men and women in all areas, including employment, work 
and  pay.  Article  26  recognises  and  respects  the  right  of  people  with  disabilities  to 
benefit  from  measures  designed 
independence,  social  and 
to  ensure 
occupational  integration  and  participation  in  the  life  of  the  community.  Moreover, 
the equality of everyone before the law is enshrined in Article 20 of the Charter of 
Fundamental Rights of the European Union. 

their 

• 

Subsidiarity (for non-exclusive competence)  

Underlying shared values, such as equality and fundamental rights, and common objectives, 
such as economic prosperity, social cohesion and solidarity between Member States, call for 
the  Union  to  play  a  role  in  policies  to  achieve  equality  and  inclusion  for  the  Roma.  In 
addition,  transnational  mobility  of  Roma  across  EU  countries,  in  the  context  of  freedom  of 

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movement and of the migration of Roma from third countries, makes Roma inclusion a joint 
EU-level objective.  

The proposal ensures the continued added value of action at EU level. The evaluation of the 
EU framework showed that it has had positive EU added value by putting Roma inclusion 
on the EU and national  agendas, developing structures, and improving the coherence of EU 
policy and legal and funding instruments that have been mobilised and aligned to advance the 
inclusion  of  the  Roma.  The  proposal  will  uphold  political  commitment  and  focus  on  Roma 
equality and inclusion in  the EU countries. At  present,  the effects  of the EU framework are 
unlikely  to  last  after  2020  if  there  is  no  further  EU  support.  National  efforts  need  to  be 
stepped  up,  and  more  time  is  needed  to  consolidate  working  structures,  to  further  align  and 
mobilise other policy, legal and financial instruments, and to monitor the impact of policies 
more effectively. The proposal is also designed to reduce fragmentation in implementation at 
national level, one of the weaknesses identified in the evaluation of the EU framework. 

The  added  value  of  EU-level  action  is  becoming  even  more  crucial  in  view  of  the 
challenges  associated  with  and  following  from  the  COVID-19  crisis.  Many  Roma 
communities  have  suffered  disproportionately  because  of  generally  limited  access  to  basic 
hygiene and sanitary infrastructure, limited access to clean water and healthcare services, high 
levels  of  economic  precariousness,  overcrowded  households,  and  segregated  settlements  or 
camps  that  are  also  overcrowded.  There  is  need  for  action  at  EU  level  to  ensure  that  the 
burden of the pandemic does not fall disproportionately on the most vulnerable and to prevent 
existing inequalities from worsening. 

• 

Proportionality 

The proposal abides fully by the proportionality principle. Member States face challenges in 
seeking  to  ensure  equality,  inclusion  and  participation  for  the  Roma.  However,  these 
challenges  vary  both  in  intensity  (depending  on  the  size  of  the  Roma  population  and  their 
share of the overall population, as well as on the wider economic context and the legacy of 
exclusion  and  discrimination)  and  in  their  specific  features  (such  as  transnational  mobility, 
migration or issues associated with civic documentation).  

The  proposal  builds  on  the  Communication  setting  a  common  EU  framework  with  shared 
minimum  commitments  for  all  Member  States,  complemented  by  different  degrees  of 
additional political  commitment  according to  the  specific situation of the countries and the 
different  challenges  facing  Roma  living  in  their  territory.  The  proposed  action  takes  full 
account of Member States’ practices and the diversity of national strategic frameworks. 

To measure progress, the Commission, with the support of the EU Agency for Fundamental 
Rights,  has  set  up  the  Roma  Working  Party  on  indicators  and  reporting  to  complement 
Member States’ efforts. The Working Party has proposed a portfolio of indicators for Roma 
equality,  inclusion  and  participation28,  developed  with  full  respect  for  specific  national 
situations. Countries can select relevant qualitative and/or quantitative indicators to measure 
progress from a portfolio of common indicators. At the same time, by requiring countries to 
select  qualitative  and/or  quantitative  national  objectives  on  the  way  to  EU-level  targets,  the 
proposal  avoids  excessive  fragmentation  and  seeks  to  increase  countries’  commitment  to 
achieving progress towards equality, inclusion and participation for the Roma.  

The proportionality assessment also played a key role in the choice of instrument. 

28 

See Annex 2 to the Communication. 

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• 

Choice of instrument 

The  proposed  instrument  is  a  proposal  for  a  Council  recommendation,  which  abides  by  the 
principles  of  subsidiarity  and  proportionality.  The  proposed  recommendation  provides 
guidance  to  Member  States  on  how  to  speed  up  progress  towards  Roma  equality,  inclusion 
and participation. The proposal is presented together with the new Communication on an ‘EU 
Roma strategic framework for equality, inclusion and participation’. The aim is that Member 
States, the Commission and all stakeholders should work together consistently and coherently 
towards shared objectives.  

As a legal instrument, the proposal signals the Member States’ commitment to the measures 
laid  down  in  this  recommendation  and  provides  a  strong  political  basis  for  cooperation  at 
European level in this area, while fully respecting the remit of the Member States. Once the 
proposal  is  adopted,  it  will  replace  the  Council  recommendation  of  9  December  2013  on 
effective Roma integration measures. 

frameworks 

This  initiative  signals  a  renewed  and  strengthened  commitment  by  Member  States  to 
inclusion  and 
improving  national  Roma  strategic 
participation, strengthening national  Roma contact points, and continuing coordinated 
reporting to and monitoring by the Commission. This recommendation thus meets the need 
to  act  at  EU  level,  while  also  taking  account  of  country-specific  differences  as  regards  the 
situation  of  the  Roma.  The  recommendation  enables  the  EU  to  pursue  common  objectives 
while also allowing the Member States some flexibility in terms of achieving their qualitative 
and/or  quantitative  targets,  depending  on  their  starting  point,  national  history  and  current 
practices. 

for  equality, 

3. 

RESULTS 
CONSULTATIONS AND IMPACT ASSESSMENTS 

EX-POST 

EVALUATIONS, 

OF 

STAKEHOLDER 

Ex-post evaluations/fitness checks of existing legislation 

• 
Further to the Council conclusions of 8 December 201629, the Commission carried out an in-
depth  evaluation  of the framework,  adopted a report30  on the evaluation  in  December 2018, 
and published a staff working document on the evaluation31. 

The  evaluation,  which  covered  2011-2017,  assessed  the  framework’s  relevance,  coherence, 
effectiveness,  efficiency,  coordination,  equity,  sustainability  and  EU  added  value.  It  was 
based on: 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

29 

30 
31 

an extensive desk review of secondary literature, reports and databases, 

in-depth country studies, 

interviews with stakeholders in 16 EU countries, 

interviews at EU level and in three enlargement countries, 

an open public consultation, 

a survey among non-governmental organisations, 

EPSCO  Council  Conclusions  of  8  December  2016.  Accelerating  the  Process  of  Roma  Integration 
(15406/16). The Council conclusions ‘urge the Commission to carry out a mid-term evaluation of the 
EU framework for national Roma integration strategies up to 2020 and to propose a post 2020 strategy 
on Roma integration, and include therein a proposal for a revision of the Council Recommendation’. 
COM(2018) 785 final. 
SWD(2018) 480 final. 

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– 

– 

2016 survey data from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (EU-MIDIS II), and 

 a validation workshop.  

The  evaluation  concluded  that  the  four  priority  areas  (employment,  education,  health  and 
housing)  continue  to  be  key  for  Roma  equality  and  inclusion.  In  addition,  the  evaluation 
highlighted  that  the  specific  non-discrimination  goal  should  both  build  on  an  inclusion 
approach  and  be  pursued  with  a  strong  focus  on  antigypsyism,  preventing  and  combating 
discrimination. 

The  evaluation  found  that  the  framework  had  a  positive  EU  added  value  by  putting  Roma 
inclusion on the EU and national agendas, developing structures and improving the coherence 
of  EU  policy  and  legal  and  funding  instruments  that  have  been  mobilised  and  aligned  for 
Roma inclusion. 

It  noted  that  the  framework  allowed  Member  States  to  adapt  their  objectives  to  specific 
national  contexts.  While  this  meant  they  could  tailor  their  approach  as  appropriate,  the 
evaluation  found  that  it  also  tended  to  fragment  implementation,  reduce  effectiveness,  and 
limit progress towards the EU’s Roma integration goals.  

The evaluation also concluded that the framework had limited capacity to deal with diversity 
within  the  Roma  population.  It  gave  too  little  attention  to  targeting  specific  groups  among 
Roma (women, young people and children, and EU mobile Roma).  

Finally, it found that  governance mechanisms are in  place  at  the EU  and national  level,  but 
that  their  function  remains  limited.  Efforts  have  been  made  to  improve  civil  society 
participation, but opportunities for Roma people to participate effectively in political life and 
in all stages of the policy process remain limited. 

The Commission’s report on the in-depth evaluation concluded that ‘the evaluation has shown 
that the EU Framework is the beginning of a process that, despite many limitations and taking 
into  account  the  massive  task  involved,  has  shown  positive  results  and  an  initial  change  in 
trends’.  While  it  underlined  that  ‘the  initial  phase  has  achieved  some  tangible,  albeit 
insufficient  results’, it also stressed  a need  for  ‘the overall  process  [to] be strengthened  and 
[to]  become  better  focused,  with  an  emphasis  on  improved  political  commitment,  the 
introduction  of  specific  measurable  targets  and  rigorous  monitoring,  and  more  effective 
implementation supported by sufficient funding and participatory governance systems.’ 

Stakeholder consultations 

• 
Evaluating  the  EU  framework32  required  extensive  consultations,  some  with  numerous 
forward-looking  questions,  which  fed  into  the  preparation  of  the  initiative.  The  additional 
consultations  for  the  initiative  complemented  those  already  carried  out  for  the  evaluation33, 
their scope and objectives being aligned with the remaining data collection needs. 

Targeted consultations sought to collect opinions and advice on key thematic aspects such as 
policy  options;  how  to  address  antigypsyism,  Roma  participation  and  diversity  in  the 
initiative;  and  how  to  improve  monitoring  and  measurement  of  progress  through  indicators 

32 
33 

For an overview of these activities, see SWD(2018) 480 final, Annex 2. 
The  evaluation  is  based  on  an  extensive  desk  review  of  secondary  literature,  reports  and  databases, 
interviews  with  stakeholders  in  16  EU  countries,  interviews  at  EU  level  and  in  three  enlargement 
countries,  an  open  public  consultation,  a  survey  among  non-governmental  organisations,  2016  survey 
data from FRA (EU-MIDIS II), and a validation workshop. 

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and  objectives.  The  staff  working  document34,  published  at  the  same  time  as  the 
Communication setting out the strategic framework and this proposal, details the consultation 
activities, the stakeholders involved and how their contributions informed the new initiative. 

Collection and use of expertise 

• 
The  proposal  is  grounded  in  the  Commission  report  on  the  EU  framework  evaluation35,  the 
staff working document on the evaluation36, and the detailed external evaluation support study 
provided by ICF/Milieu37, on which it builds.  

The results of surveys carried out in 2011, 2016 and 2019 by the EU Agency for Fundamental 
Rights in eleven, nine and five additional Member States respectively remained relevant to the 
proposal. 

The information about implementation of the strategies at national level in the EU, gathered 
from the national Roma contact points since 2016, was assembled in the Commission’s report 
on  progress  towards  Roma  integration  of  September  201938.  This  information  was 
complemented  by  reports  from  civil  society  in  the  context  of  the  Roma  Civil  Monitor 
European Parliament Pilot Project, 2017-202039. 

Additional evidence and data were sought through the results of a Eurobarometer survey on 
perceptions of discrimination against Roma40 and external expert studies focusing on how to 
operationalise  the  need  to  take  better  account  of  diversity  among  Roma,  the  fight  against 
antigypsyism, and Roma participation41. 

The  proposal  also  benefited  from  close  cooperation  with  the  EU  Agency  for  Fundamental 
Rights  on  monitoring  arrangements,  including  development  of  outcome  and  process 
indicators42. 

• 

Impact assessment 

The  instrument  proposed  –  a  Council  recommendation  –  offers  guidance  on  the 
implementation of the Roma strategic frameworks, while also allowing Member States to be 
flexible  in  designing  and  implementing  measures.  Consequently,  no  impact  assessment  is 
needed. 

The  expected  impacts  depend  largely  on  what  level  of  commitment  to  Roma  equality  and 
inclusion  the  Member  States  agree  to,  i.e.  the  ambition  reflected  in  the  Council 
recommendation once adopted and the national strategic frameworks put in place thereafter43. 
Moreover,  in  addition  to  general  challenges  of  quantifying  and  monetising  equality,  non-
discrimination  and  respect  for  fundamental  rights,  conducting  an  impact  assessment  in  the 
field of Roma equality and inclusion faces serious limitations as regards ethnic data collection 
in some Member States. 

34 
35 
36 
37 
38 

39 
40 
41 
42 

43 

SWD(2020) 530 final, see Annex 1. 
COM(2018) 785 final. 
SWD(2018) 480 final. 
The external evaluation support study is available here. 
Report  on  the  implementation  of  National  Roma  Integration  Strategies,  COM(2019)  406  final, 
accompanied by SWD(2019)320 final on Roma inclusion measures reported under the EU Framework. 
For details of the project, see here. 
Special Eurobarometer 493 on Discrimination in the EU (first results released in September 2019). 
Reports covering these themes were finalised in February 2020 and are published here. 
Annex 2 to COM(2020) 620 final and Monitoring framework for an EU Roma strategic framework for 
equality, inclusion and participation – Objectives and indicators. 
See the Staff Working Document published at the same time as this proposal, SWD(2020) 530 final. 

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A  comprehensive  staff  working  document44  includes  an  overview  of  the  main  lessons 
stemming from the design and implementation of the EU framework up to 2020. It builds on 
the Commission’s annual reports, several evaluations and studies at EU level, expert reports, 
civil  society  shadow  reports,  and  feedback  received  during  targeted  consultations  with 
national and international stakeholders. 

• 

Regulatory fitness and simplification 

Not applicable. 

• 

Fundamental rights 

The proposal has positive consequences for the protection of fundamental rights. It will step 
up  implementation  of  the  EU  Charter  of  Fundamental  Rights,  especially  Article  21,  which 
prohibits discrimination on any grounds, including race and ethnic origin45. 

4. 

BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS 

This recommendation has no financial implications for the EU budget. 

5. 

• 

OTHER ELEMENTS 

Implementation plans and monitoring, evaluation and reporting arrangements 

The  proposal  takes  a  common  but  differentiated  approach.  It  provides  guidance  to  Member 
States  on  how  to  design  more  effective  national  strategic  frameworks,  taking  into  account 
country-specific challenges related to Roma equality, inclusion and participation. To monitor 
progress better, the proposal calls on Member States to use the common indicator framework 
for  Roma  equality,  inclusion  and  participation.  A  working  party  on  indicators  for  Roma 
equality,  inclusion  and  participation  post-2020,  coordinated  by  the  EU  Agency  for 
Fundamental  Rights  at  the  Commission’s  request,  worked  to  develop  this  framework.  The 
indicator  framework  provides  comparable,  robust  and  relevant  indicators  for  monitoring 
progress  and  evaluating  the  results  of  the  national  Roma  strategic  frameworks.  It  includes 
process  indicators  to  reflect  measures  (including  policies,  programmes  and  projects)  and 
outcome indicators to measure progress towards objectives based on statistical data, which 
can  be  populated  from  census,  administrative  data  and/or  survey  data.  This  portfolio  of 
quantitative  and  qualitative  indicators  takes  account  of  national  circumstances  and  the 
available evidence base.  

The table below summarises the envisaged monitoring, reporting and evaluation cycle: 

44 
45 

SWD(2020) 530 final. 
Explanations concerning the Charter of Fundamental Rights (OJ C 303/17, 14.12.2007, p. 17). 

EN 

11 

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Regular 
surveys (FRA) 

Reports 
NRCPs 

from 

Report  on  the  use 
of EU funds 

Civil monitoring  

Commission 
monitoring reports 

Evaluations 
future 
proposal 

and 
policy 

Data  collection: 
2020 

Results: 2021 

National 
strategic 
frameworks: 
2021 

National 
implementation 
reports: 2023 

round 

of 
1st 
national 
civil 
reports: spring 2022  

Commission report on 
national 
strategic 
frameworks:  autumn 
2022 

round 

of 
2nd 
national 
civil 
reports: spring 2024 

Commission report on 
implementation: 
autumn 2024 

Data  collection: 
2024 

Results: 2025 

Report 
on 
milestones of output 
indicators: 2024 

National 
implementation 
reports: 2025 

3rd  round  of  civil 
reports: spring 2026  

report 

Commission 
implementation: 
autumn 2026 

Data  collection: 
2028 

Results: 2029 

National 
Implementation 
reports: 2027 

Report on targets of 
output indicators: 

4th  round  of  civil 
reports: spring 2028  

2029 

Commission report on 
implementation: 
autumn 2028 

National 
Implementation 
reports: 2029 

In-depth  evaluation 
of  the  EU  Roma 
strategic 
framework 

Commission 
follow-up proposal: 
2030 

Ex-post evaluation 

• 

Explanatory documents (for directives) 

Not applicable. 

• 

Detailed explanation of the specific provisions of the proposal 

§1-4  refer  to  the  horizontal  objectives  of  equality,  inclusion  and  participation,  and  propose 
measures to enhance progress in these areas. 

§5-10 refer to the sectoral objectives of ensuring effective equal access for Roma to inclusive 
mainstream  education,  quality  and  sustainable  employment,  quality  healthcare  and  social 
services, adequate desegregated housing, and essential services. 

§11-27  refer  to  the  need  to  strengthen  the  partnerships  and  institutional  capacity  of  the 
multiple stakeholders to be involved in this cross-sectoral field. 

§11-13 recommend that the Member States ensure that the national Roma contact points have 
the resources and mandate they need to effectively coordinate the implementation of national 
policies for Roma equality, inclusion and participation. 

§14  and  15  encourage  the  Member  States  to  step  up  the  involvement  of  the  bodies  for  the 
promotion  of  equal  treatment,  and  to  support  their  independence  and  cooperation  with  all 
relevant actors. 

§16 - 20 call on the Member States to further mobilise and support local and regional levels to 
improve implementation of the national strategic framework for Roma equality, inclusion and 
participation. 

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§21-27 focus on the cooperation and involvement of civil society. 

§28-34 refer to ways to make more effective use of EU and national funding. 

§35-39  revise  the  monitoring  and  reporting  arrangements,  the  aim  being  to  reduce  the 
administrative burden of reporting  and provide for the Commission  and  the EU Agency  for 
Fundamental  Rights  to  give stronger support with  using a common portfolio of process  and 
outcome indicators to monitor progress towards the EU objectives and headline targets. 

. 

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2020/0288 (NLE) 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION 

on Roma equality, inclusion and participation 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the  European  Union,  and  in  particular 
Article 292, in conjunction with Article 19(1) thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

46 

47 

48 

49 
50 

Council Directive 2000/43/EC46 lays down a framework for combating discrimination 
on  the  grounds  of  racial  or  ethnic  origin  throughout  the  Union  in  relation  to 
employment,  education,  social  protection  including  social  security  and  healthcare, 
social advantages and access to and supply of goods and services, including housing. 
The purpose of this Recommendation is to contribute to the effective implementation 
of that Directive.  
Council  Framework  Decision  2008/913/JHA47  obliges  Member  States  to  criminalise 
public incitement to violence or hatred on the grounds of race, colour, religion, descent 
or  national  or  ethnic  origin  and  to  ensure  that  racist  and  xenophobic  motivation  is 
considered  an  aggravating  circumstance  or,  alternatively,  that  it  may  be  taken  into 
consideration  by  national  courts  in  the  determination  of  the  penalties.  This 
Recommendation is designed to step up the fight against hate speech, hate crime and 
violence  directed  against  Roma  people.  In  line  with  Directive  2012/29/EU  of  the 
European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council48  establishing  minimum  standards  for  the 
rights, support and protection of victims of crime, the Recommendation also aims to 
promote support to Roma victims of such crimes. 
The European Pillar of Social Rights49 sets out a number of principles to support and 
increase social  fairness,  irrespective of sex, racial  or ethnic origin,  religion  or belief, 
disability, age or sexual orientation. Targeting groups at high risk of discrimination or 
social exclusion is key in supporting the implementation of the Social Pillar principles. 
This  recommendation  also  contributes  to  the  sustained  development  of  equal  and 
inclusive  democratic  societies 
the  United  Nations’  Sustainable 
line  with 
Development Goals50. 

in 

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, 19.7.2000, p. 22). 
Council  Framework  Decision  2008/913/JHA  of  28  November  2008  on  combating  certain  forms  and 
expressions of racism and xenophobia by means of criminal law (OJ L 328, 6.12.2008, p. 55). 
Directive 2012/29/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 establishing 
minimum  standards  on  the  rights,  support  and  protection  of  victims  of  crime,  and  replacing  Council 
Framework Decision 2001/220/JHA (OJ L 315, 14.11.2012, p. 57). 
European Pillar of Social Rights. 
Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, United Nations, 2015. 

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(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

51 

52 

53 

54 
55 
56 

The Commission has submitted proposals to the European Parliament and the Council 
for  the  2021-2027  Common  Provisions  Regulations51,  the  European  Social  Fund+52, 
and the European Regional Development Fund and Cohesion Fund53. These proposals 
refer to equality and non-discrimination as horizontal principles that should be adhered 
to  in  the  implementation  of  the  Funds.  The  proposal  for  the  European  Social  Fund+ 
specifically calls on Member States and the Commission to ensure equality and non-
discrimination54 in the implementation of programmes and refers to the promotion of 
the  socio-economic  integration  of  third  country  nationals  and  the  inclusion  of 
marginalised  communities  such  as  the  Roma55,  linked  to  the  enabling  condition  of  a 
national  Roma  strategic  framework.  Pending  adoption  of  those  measures,  this 
Recommendation  aims  to  make  an  explicit  link  between  Union  funds56,  on  the  one 
hand, and policy priorities for Roma equality, inclusion and participation, on the other 
hand. 

The Commission Communication of 3 March 2010, entitled ‘Europe 2020: a strategy 
for  smart,  sustainable  and  inclusive  growth’  (the  ‘Europe  2020  strategy’),  has  given 
significant  impetus  to  the  fight  against  poverty  and  social  exclusion  by  setting 
common  European  targets  to  reduce  poverty  and  social  exclusion  and  raise  school 
attainment  and  employment  levels.  These  targets  cannot  be  achieved  without 
improving  equality,  inclusion  and  participation  of  Roma  citizens,  on  which  this 
Recommendation offers specific guidance.  

The  Commission  Communication  of  5  April  2011,  entitled  ‘An  EU  framework  for 
national  Roma  integration  strategies  up  to  2020’,  encouraging  Member  States  to 
comprehensively advance the social and economic inclusion of Roma and establishing 
goals in the fields of education, employment, healthcare and housing, was endorsed by 
the Council on 19 May 2011. Despite limitations in the initial design, the framework 
had  an  important  EU  added  value  on  which  the  current  Recommendation  further 
the  framework’s 
builds, 
implementation.  

inter  alia  by 

learned  from 

integrating 

lessons 

the 

Proposal  for  a  Regulation  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  laying  down  common 
provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund Plus, the Cohesion 
Fund, and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and financial rules for those and for the Asylum 
and  Migration  Fund,  the  Internal  Security  Fund  and  the  Border  Management  and  Visa  Instrument 
(‘Proposal for a Common Provisions Regulation’), COM(2018) 375 final, 29.5.2018. 
Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Social Fund 
Plus (‘ESF+ Proposal’), COM(2018) 382 final, 30.5.2018. 
Proposal  for  a  Regulation  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  on  the  European  Regional 
Development  Fund  and  on  the  Cohesion  Fund  ‘Proposal  for  ERDF  an  Cohesion  Fund’,  COM(2018) 
372 final, 29.05.2018. 
Article 6 ESF+ Proposal, COM(2018) 382 final. 
Article 4(1) (viii) ESF+ Proposal, COM(2018) 382 final. 
Encompassing  funds  envisioned  and/or  included  by:  Proposal  for  a  Common  Provisions  Regulation, 
COM(2018) 375 final; ESF+ Proposal, COM(2018) 382 final; Proposal for ERDF and Cohesion Fund, 
COM(2018)372  final;  Proposal  for  a  Regulation  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council 
establishing the InvestEU Programme,  COM(2020) 403 final, 29.5.2020; Proposal for a Regulation of 
the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  establishing  a  Recovery  and  Resilience  Facility, 
COM(2020)  408  final,  28.5.2020;  Proposal  for  a  Regulation  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the 
Council establishing the Rights and Values programme, COM(2018) 383 final, 30.5.2018; Proposal for 
a  Regulation  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  establishing  'Erasmus':  the  Union 
programme  for  education,  training,  youth  and  sport  and  repealing  Regulation  (EU)  No  1288/2013, 
COM(2018)  367  final,  30.5.2018;  Proposal  for  a  Regulation  of  the  European  Parliament  and  the 
Council  on  the  establishment  of  a  Programme  for  the  Union’s  action  in  the  field  of  health  –  for  the 
period 2021-2027 and repealing Regulation (EU) No 282/2014, COM(2020) 405 final, 28.5.2020. 

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(7) 

(8) 

(9) 

The  Council  Recommendation  of  9  December  2013  on  effective  Roma  integration 
measures in the Member States57 was designed to  step up national  Roma integration 
measures. It called on the Member States to inform the Commission annually of any 
measures taken in line with the recommendation and any progress with implementing 
their national Roma integration strategies (NRIS). This recommendation builds on the 
experiences, reviews and expands the measures to be taken. 

The Council Conclusions of 8 December 2016 on ‘Accelerating the Process of Roma 
Integration’58 called on the Commission to carry out a mid-term evaluation of the EU 
framework  for  national  Roma  integration  strategies  for  2020  and  to  propose,  on  that 
basis, a post-2020 initiative. While the evaluation acknowledges the added value of the 
framework, it notes that  Roma people in  Europe  continue to  face discrimination and 
socioeconomic exclusion. 

The  evaluation  and  the  conclusions  drawn  from  it  by  the  Council,  the  European 
Parliament  and  several  Europe-wide  and  national  civil  society  organisations59  show 
the need for a renewed and stronger commitment to Roma equality and inclusion. That 
commitment  should  ensure  a  specific  focus  on  non-discrimination,  including  by 
tackling antigypsyism - a specific form of racism against Roma people - and focusing 
on  the  four  socioeconomic  inclusion  areas  of  education,  employment,  health  and 
housing60.  It  should  also  reflect  the needs of specific  groups  and the diversity of the 
Roma  population;  involve  Roma  in  the  design,  implementation,  monitoring  and 
evaluation  of  Roma  equality  and  inclusion  strategies;  improve  target  setting,  data 
collection, monitoring and reporting; and make mainstream policies more sensitive to 
Roma equality and inclusion. 

(10)  This Recommendation also builds on various findings previously set out in European 

Parliament resolutions61, Council conclusions62 and Commission communications63. 

(11)  Following  the  ‘EU  framework  for  national  Roma  integration  strategies  up  to  2020’, 
the Commission developed a package which comprises this Recommendation and the 

57 
58 

59 

60 

61 

62 

63 

OJ C 378, 24.12.2013, p. 1. 
EPSCO  Council  Conclusions  of  8  December  2016,  Accelerating  the  Process  of  Roma  Integration 
(15406/16). 
European Parliament resolution of 12 February 2019 on the need for a strengthened post-2020 Strategic 
EU Framework for National Roma Inclusion Strategies and stepping up the fight against anti-Gypsyism 
(P8_TA(2019)0075).  EPSCO  Council  Conclusion  of  24  October  2019  on  the  Economy  of  Wellbeing 
(13432/19), inviting the Commission to renew the commitment on Roma inclusion. Additionally, at the 
High  Level  Conference  on  the  EU  Framework  for  National  Roma  Integration  Strategies  held  in 
Bucharest on 4-5 March 2019, participants invited the Commission to propose an ambitious new post- 
2020  EU  framework  and  called  on  Member  States  and  enlargement  countries  to  step  up  their 
commitments to Roma integration. Information from the Presidency (7003/19, 14.3.2019). 
On  the  need  for  a  clearer  focus  on  fighting  antigypsyism  and  discrimination  in  the  post-2020  EU 
framework,  see  expert  recommendations  developed  in  the  aftermath  of  the  Conference  on  anti-
Gypsyism. How to address anti-Gypsyism in a post-2020 EU Roma Framework? (Vienna, 27.11.2018). 
European  Parliament  resolution  of  15  April  2015  on  the  occasion  of  International  Roma  Day  –  anti-
Gypsyism in Europe and EU recognition of the memorial day of the Roma genocide during World War 
II  (P8_TA(2015)0095).  European  Parliament  resolution  of  25  October  2017  on  fundamental  rights 
aspects  in  Roma  integration  in  the  EU:  fighting  anti-Gypsyism  (P8_TA(2017)0413).  European 
Parliament  resolution  of  12  February  2019  on  the  need  for  a  strengthened  post-2020  Strategic  EU 
Framework  for  National  Roma  Inclusion  Strategies  and  stepping  up  the  fight  against  anti-Gypsyism 
(P8_TA(2019)0075). 
EPSCO  Council  Conclusions  of  8  December  2016,  Accelerating  the  Process  of  Roma  Integration 
(15406/16). 
The Commission produced annual reports from 2013. 

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Communication  ‘A  Union  of  Equality:  EU  Roma  strategic  framework  for  equality, 
inclusion  and  participation’  (‘the  Communication’)64.  The  Communication  sets  EU 
level  objectives  and  targets  and  minimum  commitments  for  all  Member  States, 
possibly  complemented  by  additional  national  efforts  and  EU  support  depending  on 
the national context and size of the Roma population. Recent data show that six out of 
ten Europeans  still believe that discrimination  against Roma people is  widespread in 
their  country,  while  over  six  out  of  ten  agree  that  society  could  benefit  if  the  Roma 
were integrated better65. The overarching objective of this Recommendation is to help 
promote equality and combating exclusion of Roma, with their active involvement. 

(13) 

(12)  The  COVID-19  pandemic  brings  an  extreme  exposure  of  excluded  and  marginalised 
Roma  communities  to  both  negative  health  and  socioeconomic  impacts,  which  risks 
further  aggravating  existing  inequalities.  This  Recommendation  strives  for  reducing 
structural inequalities faced by Roma by tackling the limited  access to clean water66, 
sanitary infrastructure and healthcare services, lack of facilities and digital skills that 
would enable people to participate in distance education, the high levels of economic 
precariousness, overcrowded households, segregated settlements or camps.  
In the context  of rising  populism67 and racism within  the Union68, there is  a need to 
focus  on  fighting and preventing discrimination,  including by tackling  antigypsyism, 
which is a root cause of and has an impact on discrimination and exclusion. The EU 
anti-racism action plan 2020-202569 acknowledges this and sets out concrete action to 
combat racism. Antigypsyism is a still highly accepted70 form of racism, which has its 
origins in how mainstream society views and treats those considered as ‘gypsies’ in a 
process  of  historical  ‘othering’,  which  builds  on  stereotypes  and  attitudes,  even  if 
unintentional or unconscious. Since 2005, the European Parliament has been using the 
term  antigypsyism  in  its  reports  and  resolutions71.  Several  international  and  civil 
society  organisations  have  recognised  the  phenomenon,  also  known  as  anti-Roma 

64 
65 
66 

67 
68 

69 
70 

71 

for 

human 

(recast) 

intended 

of  water 

-  Political 

consumption 

COM(2020) 620 final. 
Special Eurobarometer 493. Discrimination in the EU (first results released in September 2019). 
See Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 February 2020 on the 
quality 
agreement  
(ST_606_2020_REV_1), which requires Member States to take the necessary measures to improve or 
maintain  access  to  water  intended  for  human  consumption  for  all,  in  particular  for  vulnerable  and 
marginalised  groups  (Article  16)  and  specifies  that  it  would  be  important  that  such  groups  include 
minority cultures such as Roma and Travelers (Recital 31). 
The Relentless Rise of Populism in Europe. Niall McCarthy, 2 May 2019, Statista. 
Widespread  racism  continues  to  plague  Europe.  EU  Agency  for  Fundamental  Rights,  20  June  2019, 
publication  based  on  Fundamental  Rights  Report  2019,  EU  Agency  for  Fundamental  Rights,  6  June 
2019. 
COM(2020) 565 final. 
European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (‘ECRI’)’s General Policy Recommendation no 
3  on  the  fight  against  racism  and  intolerance  against  Roma/Gypsies,  adopted  on  6  March  1998.  The 
preamble  of  their  General  Policy  Recommendation  no.  13  on  combatting  anti-Gypsyism  and 
discrimination  against  Roma,  reiterated,  ‘anti-Gypsyism  is  an  especially  persistent,  violent,  recurrent 
and commonplace form of racism.’ 
European  Parliament  resolution  of  28  April  2005  on 
the  EU 
(P6_TA(2005)0151), European Parliament resolution of 15 April 2015 on the occasion of International 
Roma Day – anti-Gypsyism in Europe and EU recognition of the memorial day of the Roma genocide 
during  World  War  II  (P8_TA(2015)0095),  European  Parliament  resolution  of  25  October  2017  on 
fundamental rights aspects in Roma integration in the EU: fighting anti-Gypsyism (P8_TA(2017)0413),  
European Parliament resolution of 12 February 2019 on the need for a strengthened post-2020 Strategic 
EU Framework for National Roma Inclusion Strategies and stepping up the fight against anti-Gypsyism 
(P8_TA(2019)0075). 

the  situation  of  Roma 

in 

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racism, romaphobia, and antiziganism. In 2016, the Council acknowledged the need to 
‘fight all forms of racism against Roma, sometimes referred to as anti-Gypsyism, as it 
is a root cause of their social exclusion and discrimination’72. 

(14)  When  targeting  the  Roma  population,  it  is  important  to  acknowledge  the  specific 
needs  or  vulnerabilities  of  certain  groups73,  including  Roma  women,  young  people, 
children, LGBTI+ people, elderly Roma, Roma who live with disabilities, those who 
are  third  country  nationals  or  stateless,  and  EU  mobile  Roma.  This  recommendation 
therefore  takes  account  of  the  importance  of  addressing  multiple  discrimination74.It 
proposes  measures to better protect and include  Roma children, who are particularly 
exposed to discrimination and segregation.  It also looks at creating opportunities and 
using  the  untapped  potential  of  young  Roma  people  by  increasing  their  active 
participation in programmes and measures targeting the young75 such as those referred 
to in the ‘Youth Employment Support: a Bridge to Jobs for the Next Generation’76. 

(15)  Acknowledging the diversity that exists among Roma, the term ‘Roma’ is used as an 
umbrella term to refer to a number of different groups of Romani origin such as Roma, 
Sinti,  Kale,  Gypsies,  Romanichels  and  Boyash/Rudari.  It  also  encompasses  groups 
such as Ashkali, Egyptians, Yenish, Eastern groups (including Dom, Lom, Rom, and 
Abdal),  as  well  as  traveller  populations,  including  ethnic  Travellers  or  those 
designated under the administrative term ‘Gens du voyage’, and people who identify 
themselves  as  Gypsies,  Tsiganes  or  Tziganes,  without  denying 
the  specific 
characteristics of these groups. 

(16) 

In  the  context  of  intra-Union  mobility,  it  is  necessary  to  respect  the  right  to  free 
movement  of the citizens of the Union and the conditions  for its exercise. The latter 
include the possession of sufficient resources and a comprehensive sickness insurance 
cover, in accordance with  Directive 2004/38/EC  of the European Parliament  and the 
Council77. At the same time, it is necessary to seek to improve the living conditions of 

72 

73 

74 

75 

76 

77 

EPSCO  Council  Conclusions  of  8  December  2016,  Accelerating  the  Process  of  Roma  Integration 
(15406/16). 
Pertaining to various contexts, for example, concerning trafficking in human beings, whose victims are 
mainly Roma women and children. 
The term ‘multiple discrimination’ is used as an overarching notion for all instances of discrimination 
on  several  grounds  of  discrimination  and  manifesting  itself  in  two  possible  ways.  These  can  take  the 
form  of  ‘additive  discrimination’,  where  discrimination  takes  place  based  on  several  grounds  of 
discrimination  operating  separately,  and  that  of  ‘intersectional  discrimination’,  where  two  or  more 
discrimination grounds operate and interact with each other in such a way that they are inseparable or 
inextricable. Tackling Multiple Discrimination. Practices, policies and laws. Report from the European 
Commission  (2007).  Multiple  Discrimination  in  EU  Law:  Opportunities  for  Legal  Responses  to 
Intersectional  Gender  Discrimination.  European  Network  of  Legal  Experts  in  the  Field  of  Gender 
Equality. European Commission (2009). 
EPSCO  Council  Conclusions  of  8  December  2016,  Accelerating  the  Process  of  Roma  Integration 
(15406/16). 
Communication ‘Youth Employment Support: a Bridge to Jobs for the Next Generation’, COM(2020) 
276  final,  1.7.2020.  Commission  proposal  for  a  Council  Recommendation  on  ‘A  Bridge  to  Jobs  – 
Reinforcing the Youth Guarantee’, COM(2020) 277 final, 1.7.2020. Commission proposal for a Council 
Recommendation on  ‘vocational education and training (VET) for sustainable competitiveness,  social 
fairness and resilience’, COM(2020) 275 final, 1.7.2020. 
Directive 2004/38/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on  the right of 
citizens  of  the  Union  and  their  family  members  to  move  and  reside  freely  within  the  territory  of  the 
Member  States  amending  Regulation  (EEC)  No  1612/68  and  repealing  Directives  64/221/EEC, 
68/360/EEC,  72/194/EEC,  73/148/EEC,  75/34/EEC,  75/35/EEC,  90/364/EEC,  90/365/EEC  and 
93/96/EEC (OJ L 158, 30.4.2004, p. 77). 

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Roma people and to pursue measures to promote their economic and social inclusion 
in their Member States of origin as well as in their Member States of residence. 

(17)  While  acknowledging  that  Member  States  should  choose  their  own  monitoring 
methods,  this  Recommendation  highlights  the  importance  of  data  collection,  in 
accordance  with  Regulation  (EU)  2016/679  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the 
Council (General Data Protection Regulation)78 and the 2018 Guidelines on improving 
the collection and use of equality data published by the subgroup on equality data of 
the  High-Level  Group  on  Non-Discrimination,  Equality  and  Diversity79.  This 
Recommendation  also  acknowledges  the  importance  of  indicators  as  a  monitoring 
method. Those indicators may be selected from a portfolio of indicators for measuring 
Roma equality, inclusion and participation put together jointly by the European Union 
Agency for Fundamental Rights, the Commission and the Member States80. 

(18)  This  Recommendation  explicitly  focuses  on  measures  to  promote  the  equality, 
inclusion and participation of Roma without aiming to exclude other marginalised and 
disadvantaged  groups.  Those  measures  should  be  based  on  the  same  principles  in 
comparable situations. In this respect, the common basic principles for Roma inclusion 
remain  relevant81.  The  Communication  provides  further  guidelines  on  planning  and 
implementing national Roma strategic frameworks. 

The  purpose  of  this  Recommendation  is  to  confirm  a  long-term  commitment  to  the  shared 
objectives  on  Roma  equality,  inclusion  and  participation  and  to  provide  renewed  and 
strengthened guidance by setting out measures that Member States may adopt towards these 
objectives. 

RECOMMENDS AS FOLLOWS 

1. 

78 

79 

80 
81 

Member  States  should  adopt  national  Roma  strategic  frameworks  and  communicate 
them  to  the  European  Commission  by  September  2021.  In  accordance  with  national 
and  Union  law,  available  resources  and  national  circumstances,  such  as  the  size, 
socioeconomic  situation,  specific  needs  and  citizenship  of  the  Roma  population  on 
their territory, Member States should consider the relevance to the national context of 
the measures set out in this Recommendation and implement them in a proportionate 
and  selective  manner,  in  close  cooperation  with  all  relevant  stakeholders.  When 
assessing  the  relevance,  Member  States  should  consider  to  be  guided  by  voluntary 
minimum commitments and, depending on the national context, by possible additional 
efforts, as provided for in the Communication. 

Regulation  (EU)  2016/679  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  27  April  2016  on  the 
protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of 
such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation), (OJ L 119, 4.5.2016, 
p. 1). 
Guidelines  on  improving  the  collection  and  use  of  equality  data  (2018).  The  European  Court  of 
Auditors recommended the development of appropriate methodologies to collect relevant data on Roma 
inclusion  in  all  Member  States.  EU  Policy  Initiatives  and  Financial  Support  for  Roma  integration: 
significant  progress  made  over  the  last  decade,  but  additional  efforts  needed  on  the  ground.  Special 
Report No 14/2016. 
Annex 2 to the Communication. 
The  Common  Basic  Principles  were  discussed  at  the  first  European  Platform  for  Roma  Inclusion  in 
April  2009  and  endorsed  by  the  EPSCO  Council  on  8  June  2009. The  Council  conclusions  called  on 
Member States to take into account the Common Basic Principles, where appropriate, when designing 
and implementing policies. EPSCO Council Conclusions on Inclusion of the Roma (8 June 2009). 

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Horizontal objectives: equality, inclusion and participation 

2. 

Member  States  should  consolidate  efforts  to  adopt  and  implement  measures  to 
promote  equality  and  effectively  prevent  and  combat  discrimination  and  its  root 
causes. Such efforts should include measures that: 

(a) 

step  up  the  fight  against  direct  and  indirect  discrimination,  harassment, 
stereotyping, anti-Roma rhetoric, hate speech, hate crime and violence against 
Roma, including incitement thereto, both online and offline, in particular in the 
context  of  transposition,  implementation  and  enforcement  of  Directive 
2000/43/EC,  Framework  Decision  2008/913/JHA,  and  Directive  2010/13/EU 
of the European Parliament and of the Council82; 

(b)  develop  and  promote  a  comprehensive  system  of  support  for  victims,  in  line 
with Directive 2012/29/EU, and deliver targeted assistance to Roma victims of 
hate crimes and discrimination; 
fight  multiple  and  structural83  discrimination  against  Roma  and,  in  particular, 
against Roma women, Roma children, LGBTI+ Roma, Roma with disabilities, 
elderly Roma, stateless Roma and EU mobile Roma; 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

raise  awareness  of  the  fact  that  efforts  to  combat  discriminatory  practices  are 
interwoven  with  efforts  to  tackle  antigypsyism  and  social  and  economic 
exclusion, and that all serve the broader objective of equality; 

analyse  and  acknowledge  the  phenomenon  of  antigypsyism  and  raise 
awareness  of  its  existence,  the  forms  it  takes  and  its  harmful  consequences, 
through the media, school curricula and by other means, and by training civil 
servants and other stakeholders to identify and tackle it;  

(f) 

promote multi-cultural awareness-raising activities and campaigns in schools; 

(g)  promote  awareness  of  Roma  cultures,  language  and  history,  including  the 
memory of the Roma Holocaust and reconciliation processes, inter alia through 
action providing relevant training for teachers and designing appropriate school 
curricula, since this awareness is vital for reducing prejudice and antigypsyism, 
as important causes of discrimination; 

(a) 

foster  positive  narratives  about  Roma  and  role  models,  by  means  including 
support for inter-community encounters and inter-cultural learning. 

Member States should step up efforts to combat the extremely high at-risk-of-poverty 
rate, material and social deprivation among the Roma population, in order to provide 
effective  support  for  Roma  equality  and  non-discrimination.  Those  efforts  should 
include measures that: 

Directive  2010/13/EU  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  10  March  2010  on  the 
coordination  of  certain  provisions  laid  down  by  law,  regulation  or  administrative  action  in  Member 
States concerning the provision of audiovisual media services (Audiovisual Media Services Directive) 
(OJ L 95, 15.4.2010, p. 1). 
Systemic or structural discrimination is understood as being evident in the inequalities that result from 
legislation,  policy  and  practice,  not  by  intent  but  resulting  from  a  range  of  institutional  factors  in  the 
elaboration,  implementation  and  review  of  legislation,  policy  and  practice.  ‘Roma  and  Traveller 
Inclusion:  Towards  a  new  EU  Framework,  Learning  from  the  work  of  equality  bodies’,  Equinet 
Perspective’, June 2020. 

3. 

82 

83 

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(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

increase  and  improve  the  channelling  of  investment  in  human  capital, 
infrastructure development and social cohesion policies; 

ensure access to adequate social protection schemes (both income support and 
in kind benefits and service provision) for disadvantaged Roma;  

combine  income  support  with  activation  measures  to  promote  labour  market 
participation; take measures to promote high level of take-up among potential 
recipients; 

ensure  that  particular  attention  is  devoted  to  preventing  and  combating  child 
poverty, including by taking stronger national measures that take account of the 
mechanisms that perpetuate multigenerational poverty and the need to support 
Roma  children  and  their  families  in  the  interrelated  fields  of  employment, 
social  services,  education  and  early  childhood  education  and  care,  health, 
housing  and  access  to  essential  services,  nutrition,  and  access  to  leisure 
activities; 

(e) 

support financial literacy (for young adults/ family members), including better 
decision-making  and  planning  skills  as  part  of  empowerment  and  financial 
inclusion measures. 

4. 

Member States should step up meaningful participation by and consultation of Roma 
people,  including  women,  children  and  young  people,  in  order  to  provide  effective 
support  for  Roma  equality  and  non-discrimination.  This  should  include  measures 
that: 

(a) 

support active citizenship by promoting social, economic, political and cultural 
participation, particularly for Roma women and young people; 

(b)  promote capacity building and leadership in Roma civil society to enable Roma 

people to participate in all stages of the policy cycle and public life in general; 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

promote  employment  of  Roma  professionals  in  public  institutions  to  support 
role modelling and diversity and to bring the necessary expertise and accurate 
knowledge of needs into the policy process; 

raise awareness of human rights and citizens’ rights and responsibilities among 
the members of marginalised Roma communities; 

coordinate  resources,  networks  and  expertise  across  sectors  to  increase  the 
involvement  of  young  Roma  people  in  decision-making  processes  and  help 
amplify their leadership. 

Sectoral objectives 

Access to quality inclusive mainstream education 

5. 

6. 

Member States should ensure that Roma have effective equal access to and are able 
to participate in all stages of education, from early childhood education and childcare 
to  tertiary  education,  including  second  chance  education,  adult  education,  and 
lifelong learning. 

Member  States  should  improve  equal  access  to  quality  and  inclusive  education  of 
Roma pupils, including by measures that: 

(a) 

prevent  and  eliminate  any  form  of  segregation  in  education  and  provide  for 
recognition and reparation of past injustices; 

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21 

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(b)  prevent  and  eliminate  misdiagnosis  leading  to  inappropriate  placement  of 
Roma  pupils  in  special  needs  education  and  provide  for  recognition  and 
reparation of past injustices; 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

(f) 

(g) 

promote the development  and dissemination of inclusive teaching and learning 
methods,  and  support  teachers  in  dealing  with  diversity  in  the  classroom 
through  professional  development  programmes,  mentoring  and  peer  learning 
activities; 

encourage effective parental involvement in the education of Roma pupils and 
foster  links  between  the  schools  and  local  communities,  including  through 
mediators; 

support the participation and active engagement of Roma pupils, alongside all 
other pupils, in all educational activities and processes; 

combat school bullying and harassment, both online and offline; 

train  teachers  and  other  school  staff  in  Roma  history,  Roma  cultures,  and 
methods  for  recognising  and  tackling  discrimination  and  its  root  causes, 
including  antigypsyism  and  unconscious  bias,  raise  awareness  concerning  the 
importance  of  non-discriminatory  education  and  effective  equal  access  to 
mainstream education;  

(h) 

support  efforts  to  ensure  that  Roma  pupils  acquire  skills  in  line  with  labour 
market needs. 

7. 

Member  States  should  provide  additional  targeted  support  to  compensate  for 
discrimination  and  exclusion  and  reduce  the  impact  of  Roma  pupils’  social  and 
economic background on educational outcomes, including through measures that: 

(a) 

invest  in  early  childhood  education  and  care  with  special  focus  on  early 
inclusion of Roma children; 

(b)  provide  individualised  support  and  mediation  to  compensate  for  linguistic, 
cognitive and educational gaps, in close cooperation with the families of Roma 
pupils and encourage second chance and adult education; 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

(f) 

(g) 

(h) 

support  the  cooperation  between  schools,  social  protection  services  and 
mediators in order to prevent school dropout; 

acknowledge  the  vulnerability  of  children  of  parents  who  left  abroad  and 
provide priority access to after-school programmes and individualised support; 

increase  Roma  social  mobility  through  positive  action,  which  may  include 
dedicated  scholarships  in  vocational,  secondary  and  higher  education  and  in 
teacher training; 

ensure  a  smooth  transition  between  educational  levels  and  promote  upper-
secondary  and  tertiary  education  completion,  including  through  career 
guidance, counselling, mentoring and financial support schemes; 

reduce early school leaving at all levels of education, with a specific focus on 
Roma girls; 

support  participation  in  non-formal  learning  and  extracurricular  activities, 
including  youth,  sport,  cultural  activities,  self-development,  psychological 
resilience and well-being; 

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(i) 

promote,  for  Roma  pupils  and  their  teachers,  mediators  and  parents,  the 
acquisition  of  digital  skills,  broadband  access,  adequate  digital  infrastructure, 
and the provision of teaching material equipped for distance learning, both in 
formal and non-formal education settings, and in particular for those living in 
marginalised communities. 

Access to quality and sustainable employment 

8. 

Member States should promote effective equal access for Roma, in particular young 
Roma to quality and sustainable employment, including through measures that: 

(a) 

step  up  outreach  to  young  Roma84  to  raise  their  awareness  of  the  available, 
preferably integrated, employment and social services, as well as link them to 
these services.  

(b)   address the needs of the young unemployed and inactive Roma by tailoring for 
them  individualised,  holistic  action  plans  that  take  into  account  their 
preferences and motivation, barriers and disadvantages, and reasons  for being 
unemployed or inactive. 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

(f) 

support  first  work  experience,  job  placements,  apprenticeships  and  career 
development;  

facilitate  the  transition  from  education  to  employment  through  coaching, 
mentoring, traineeships, business incubators, and dual education; 

to  and  acquisition  of 

support  access 
information  and  communication 
technology  (ICT)  and  digital  skills  for  young  Roma  people,  to  equip  them 
better for labour market demand and exploit the opportunities offered in daily 
life by existing and new digital tools and trends; 

support  employment  subsidisation  and  employment-related  cost  sharing,  on-
the-job  training,  skills  development,  acquisition  and  updating  of  professional 
qualifications, and second chance education; 

(g)  promote  genuinely  equal  access  to  self-employment  and  entrepreneurship, 

including social entrepreneurship, through targeted support; 

(h)  promote  employment  in  both  the  public  and  the  private  sector  through 
measures including positive action and support schemes for employers; 

(i) 

combat,  reduce  and  eliminate  discrimination  by  enhancing  awareness-raising 
concerning  non-discriminatory  employment  and  access  to  employment,  and 
train employers in methods for recognising and tackling discrimination and its 
root causes, including antigypsyism and unconscious bias. 

Health and access to quality healthcare and social services 

9. 

84 

Member  States  should  ensure  effective  equal  access  without  barriers  to  quality 
healthcare services, especially for those groups that are most at risk or those living in 
marginalised or remote localities, including through measures to: 

(a) 

promote and improve access for: 

In line with what has been described in the Commission proposal for a Council Recommendation on ‘A 
Bridge to Jobs – Reinforcing the Youth Guarantee’, COM(2020) 277 final, 1.7.2020. 

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(i)  Roma  women  to  quality  medical  check-ups,  screening,  prenatal  and 
postnatal  care,  counselling  and  family  planning,  as  well  as  sexual  and 
reproductive  healthcare,  as  generally  provided  by  national  healthcare 
services; 

(ii)  Roma  children  to  quality  primary  care  and  preventive  measures  and 

vaccination programmes targeting children; 

(iii)  vulnerable  Roma  populations  (elderly  Roma  people,  Roma  with 
disabilities,  Roma  LGBTI+  people,  Roma  people  travelling  within  the 
Union,  Roma  who  are  third  country  nationals,  and  stateless  Roma)  to 
quality health care; 

support health mediators and raise awareness among Roma people of primary 
prevention  measures,  such  as  promoting  healthy  lifestyle,  prevention  of 
substance abuse and improve access to mental health services; 

prevent and combat discrimination against Roma people, by awareness-raising 
concerning  non-discriminatory  health-care  provision  and  access  to  health, 
training health practitioners, medical students and health mediators in methods 
for  recognising  and  tackling  discrimination  and  its  root  causes,  including 
antigypsyism and unconscious bias;  

fight  digital  exclusion  of  Roma  people  in  access  to  healthcare  services  by 
means  including  bridging  the  digital  skills  divide  in  access  to  health 
information;  

prevent and eliminate segregated healthcare services and ensure recognition of 
and  reparation  for  past  injustices,  including  the  forced  sterilisation  of  Roma 
women; 

promote access to medical studies for Roma people and encourage recruitment 
of  Roma  as  health  practitioners  and  mediators,  particularly  in  regions  with  a 
significant Roma population; 

combat  and  prevent  potential  outbreaks  in  marginalised  or  remote  Roma 
localities; 

improve  access  to  community  and  family-based  services  for  people  with 
disabilities,  elderly  and  children  deprived  of  parental  care  (for  example, 
development  services,  social  housing,  day  centres  for  people  with  disabilities 
and networks of foster parents); 

prevent  institutionalisation  and  support  shift  from  institutional  to  community, 
family-based  care,  by  providing  support  for  families  in  precarious  situations 
and  people  with  disabilities  (for  example,  advisory  services  and  financial 
incentives, food aid distribution, assisted housing and development services.) 

promote  exchange  and  transfer  of  best  practices  related  to  public  health  for 
Roma  people  by  using  for  example  the  public  health  framework  of  the 
Commission  and  the  Member  States  in  the  Steering  Group  on  Health 
Promotion,  Disease  Prevention  and  Management  of  Non-Communicable 
Diseases; 

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

(f) 

(g) 

(h) 

(i) 

(j) 

Access to adequate desegregated housing and essential services  

10. 

Member States should ensure equal treatment of Roma people in access to adequate 
desegregated housing and essential services, including through measures that: 

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(a) 

ensure access to essential services – such as tap water, safe and clean drinking 
water85,  adequate  sanitation,  waste  collection  and  management  services, 
environmental services, electricity, gas, transport, financial services and digital 
communications  –  and  physical  infrastructure,  by  safeguarding  continuity  of 
basic  utility  services,  both  under  normal  conditions  and  during  pandemics, 
ecological catastrophes and other crises; 

(b)  monitor,  eliminate  and  prevent  any  spatial  segregation  and  promote 
desegregation by drawing up concrete plans to  tackle housing issues with  the 
involvement of local communities and affected Roma communities; 

(c) 

support  and  strengthen  public  authorities  responsible  for  housing,  essential 
services  and  environmental  standards,  as  well  as  other  relevant  actors  in  this 
field,  by  means  including  providing  them  with  the  necessary  power  and 
resources  to  map  housing  needs,  monitor  segregation  and  implement 
comprehensive regulatory or support measures;  

(d)  prevent forced evictions by early warning and mediation, organise support for 
people  at  risk  of  eviction  and  provide  adequate  alternative  housing,  focusing 
particularly on families; 

(e) 

(f) 

(g) 

(h) 

improve the living conditions of Roma people, prevent and tackle the negative 
health impact of exposure to pollution and contamination; 

provide  social  support  and  access  to  mainstream  services  for  homeless  Roma 
people; 

ensure  equal  access  to  social  housing,  through  the  adoption  of  access  criteria 
which prioritize social needs; 

support  integrated  housing  schemes  targeting  marginalised  Roma  people, 
combining  micro-loans  for  building  and  maintaining  housing  with  financial 
literacy and saving schemes, construction trainings and activation measures; 

(i) 

support the construction and maintenance of halting sites for Travellers. 

Partnerships and institutional capacity 

Involving and supporting national Roma contact points 

11. 

12. 

13. 

85 

Member  States  should  provide  national  Roma  contact  points  with  adequate  and 
necessary  resources,  staff  capacity,  mandate  and  political  weight  so  that  they  can 
effectively coordinate and monitor national policies for Roma equality, inclusion and 
participation, including outreach at local level. 

Member  States  should  enable  national  Roma  contact  points  to  facilitate  the 
participation and involvement of Roma civil  society in the design, implementation, 
monitoring and review of national Roma strategic frameworks and local action plans, 
through reformed national Roma platform processes. 

Member States should ensure that national Roma contact points are involved in the 
design of socio-inclusion policies and universal services, to improve their relevance 
to Roma people and the outreach they offer, including, where relevant, in decision-
making on the programming and monitoring of Union funds. 

See Article 16, in conjunction with Recital 31, of the Proposal for a Directive on the quality of water 
intended for human consumption (recast) (ST_606_2020_REV_1). 

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Involvement of the bodies for the promotion of equal treatment 

14. 

Member States should support bodies for the promotion of equal treatment (‘equality 
bodies’)  so  they  can  function  effectively  and  independently  and  cooperate  with  all 
relevant  actors,  including  national  Roma  contact  points,  public  authorities,  civil 
society  organisations  and  the  private  sector.  Such  support  should  include  enabling 
equality bodies to: 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

pursue  cases  of  discrimination,  hate  speech  and  hate  crimes,  and  pursue 
strategic litigation; 

address  underreporting  of  discrimination,  hate  speech  and  hate  crimes,  and 
raise awareness of rights among Roma; 

conduct  research  into  and  collect  data  on  equality  and  discrimination  against 
Roma; 

(d)  build  the  capacity  of  and  cooperate  with  Roma  civil  society,  with  a  focus  on 

access to justice and enforcing equality legislation; 

(e) 

provide  guidance  and  training  to  public  and  private  organisations  and  the 
media. 

15. 

Member  States  should  ensure  that  equality  bodies  are  closely  involved  in  and  can 
contribute effectively to designing, implementing, monitoring and reviewing national 
Roma  strategic  frameworks  for  equality,  inclusion  and  participation  and  relevant 
Union funds programmes, including by: 

(a) 

(b) 

relying on advice from equality bodies on standards for implementing national 
strategic frameworks to  ensure  a stronger focus  on combating  and preventing 
discrimination,  including  by  tackling  antigypsyism,  in  their  design  and 
implementation, including efforts to dismantle structural discrimination; 

involving  equality  bodies  in  structures  set  up  to  oversee  the  implementation, 
monitoring  and  review  of  national  Roma  strategic  frameworks,  and  in 
committees for monitoring relevant Union funds. 

Mobilising local and regional stakeholders 

16. 

17. 

18. 

19. 

Member States should involve regional and local authorities and local civil society in 
the design, implementation, monitoring and review of national strategic frameworks. 

Member  States  should  encourage  regional  and  local  authorities,  within  their 
respective  remits,  to  develop  or  update  their  local  action  or  desegregation  plans  or 
Roma  strategic  frameworks  for  equality,  inclusion  and  participation.  Those  action 
plans  or  strategic  frameworks  should  include  measures,  baselines,  benchmarks, 
measurable objectives and funding allocation.  

Member States should ensure cooperation between central and local authorities in the 
design  and  implementation  of  Union  funding  programmes  relevant  for  preventing 
and tackling discrimination of the Roma, in order to ensure Roma equality, inclusion 
and  participation  are  envisaged 
the  preparation,  implementation, 
throughout 
monitoring  and  evaluation  of  programmes,  and  to  enhance  better  channelling  of 
Union funds to the local level. 

Member States should promote inclusiveness, diversity and positive action to ensure 
that  Roma  professionals  are  recruited  by  public  institutions  at  local  and  regional 
level.  

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26 

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20. 

Member States should empower and recognise the representation of Roma people at 
local  level  through  community  mobilisation,  that  is  to  say,  community-led  local 
development.  

Cooperation with civil society 

21. 

22. 

23. 

24. 

25. 

26. 

27. 

Member  States  should  promote  social  innovation,  partnership  and  cooperation 
between public authorities and Roma and pro-Roma civil society.  

Member  States  should  make  full  use  of  the  national  Roma  platforms  or  any  other 
channels of cooperation and dialogue in the Member States to engage Roma and pro-
Roma  civil  society  and  other  stakeholders,  transparently  and  inclusively,  in  the 
design,  implementation,  monitoring  and  review  of  national  Roma  strategic 
frameworks and local action plans. 

Member States should support civil society in monitoring and reporting hate crimes 
and  hate  speech  against  Roma  and  assist  victims  in  reporting  hate  crimes  and  hate 
speech. 

Member  States  should  ensure  funding  to  support  the  plurality  and  independence  of 
Roma  and  pro-Roma  civil  society,  including  Roma  youth  organisations,  thus 
enabling  them  to  report  on  and  monitor  national  Roma  strategic  frameworks,  as 
independent watchdog organisations, and to maintain their administrative capacity. 

Member  States  should  involve  civil  society  and  Roma  communities  throughout  the 
Union  funds’  programme  cycle,  at  national,  regional  and  local  levels  (including  as 
members of relevant Union fund monitoring committees). 

Member  States  should  promote  capacity  building  and  leadership  in  Roma  civil 
society,  including  youth  organisations,  to  enable  the  bodies  and  organisations 
concerned to participate in all stages of the policy cycle and in public life in general. 

Member States should promote cross-sectoral work and broader alliances for equality 
and  inclusion,  engaging  government,  civil  society,  business  and  industry,  academia 
and  research.  This  could  lead  to  joint  actions  among  entities  promoting  gender 
related 
equality,  combating 
intolerance,  or  working  in  favour  of  the  rights  of  children,  older  people,  Roma, 
LGBTI+, people with disabilities, asylum seekers, refugees and other migrants, and 
stateless people.  

racial  discrimination,  xenophobia  and 

racism, 

Funding  

28. 

Member  States,  in  particular  those  with  greater  challenges  on  Roma  equality, 
inclusion  and  participation  and/or  larger  Roma  communities,  should  make  full  and 
optimal  use  of  mainstream  and  targeted  Union  and  national  funds  relevant  for 
preventing  and  tackling  discrimination  of  the  Roma,  which  may  include  selecting 
specific objectives of promoting socioeconomic integration of disadvantaged groups 
and  marginalised  communities  such  as  the  Roma86,  and  ensuring  effective 
coordination  between  Union  and  national  funding  sources  relevant  for  equality  and 
socioeconomic inclusion of the Roma.  

29. 

Member  States  should  ensure  the  participation  of  regional,  local,  urban  and  other 
public  authorities,  economic  and  social  partners  and  relevant  bodies  representing 
civil society, non-governmental organisations, and bodies responsible for promoting 

86 

See, in particular, Article 4(1) (v and viii) ESF+ Proposal, COM(2018) 382 final. 

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27 

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inclusion,  fundamental  rights,  and  non-discrimination 

social 
the 
preparation,  implementation,  monitoring  and  evaluation  of  Union  programmes, 
including participation in monitoring committees. 

throughout 

30. 

31. 

32. 

33. 

34. 

Member  States  should  allocate  sufficient  national  resources  to  implementing  the 
policy  measures  put  forward  by  the  EU  Roma  strategic  framework  for  equality, 
inclusion and participation, and by national strategic frameworks, ensuring that they 
reflect  Roma  communities’  actual  needs,  and  are  commensurate  with  the  size  and 
challenges of Roma communities.  
Member States should ensure that national Recovery and Resilience plans87 foster the 
inclusion  of  vulnerable  groups,  including  Roma  and  other  people  with  a  minority 
racial or ethnic background. 

Member  States  should  improve  the  design,  implementation,  monitoring  and 
evaluation of EU programmes or structural reforms for the socioeconomic inclusion 
of  minorities,  for  example  by  requesting  technical  assistance  from  the  structural 
reform support programme.  

Member  States  should  encourage  the  use  of  national  and  Union  funds  to  build  the 
capacity  of,  and  enable  good  practice  exchanges  between  authorities  at  central  and 
local level and civil society organisations, so those authorities and organisations can 
contribute  to  implement  measures  to  combat  Roma  discrimination  by  accelerating 
equality  and  inclusion,  including  by  combatting  segregation  and  promoting  Roma 
participation.  

Member  States  should  address  funding  needs  of  the  local  level,  including  those  of 
urban areas, in order to sustainably support EU mobile Roma, including by providing 
for  language  training,  early  childhood  education  and  care,  schooling,  public 
employment services, social workers, mediators, etc. 

Monitoring and reporting on national Roma strategic frameworks 

35. 

36. 

37. 

87 

88 

Member  States  should  monitor  and  evaluate  the  implementation  of  the  national 
strategic frameworks appropriately using the portfolio of indicators developed by the 
European  Union  Agency  for  Fundamental  Rights  (the  ‘Agency’),  national  Roma 
contact  points,  national  statistical  offices and  the Commission  in  the context  of the 
working party on Roma indicators and reporting coordinated by the Agency88. 

In  the  light  of  the  Union  objectives  and  headline  targets  set  out  in  the 
Communication,  Member  States  should 
include  national  quantitative  and/or 
qualitative  targets  in  national  Roma  strategic  frameworks  tailored  to  national 
circumstances  and  to  available  ethnically  disaggregated  (or  proxy)  equality  data 
collection options and existing evidence. 

Member States should notify the Commission  of any measures taken in  accordance 
with this Recommendation by June 2023. Thereafter, Member States should report to 
the  Commission  on  a  biennial  basis  on  ongoing  and  new  measures,  including 
information  on  any  progress  achieved  in  each  thematic  area  towards  implementing 
national Roma strategic frameworks. The reports from Member States will be used to 

Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a Recovery and 
Resilience Facility, COM(2020) 408 final. 
Annex 2 to COM(2020) 620 final and Monitoring framework for an EU Roma strategic framework for 
equality, inclusion and participation – Objectives and indicators. 

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38. 

39. 

feed the Commission biennial and evaluation reports to the European Parliament and 
the Council on the implementation of the EU Roma strategic framework for equality, 
inclusion and participation. 

Member States should ensure that national reports on Roma equality, inclusion and 
participation are made public to increase transparency and allow policy learning, and 
ensure,  where  relevant,  that  national  strategy  and  finalised  implementation  reports 
are discussed in national parliaments. 

The  European  Union  Agency  for  Fundamental  Rights  should  carry  out  a  regular 
Roma  survey  in  2020,  2024  and  2028,  to  provide  the  data  necessary  for  baseline, 
mid-term  and  end-term  results,  reflecting  any  change  in  the  situation  of  the  Roma. 
The  Agency  should  also  support  Member  States  in  their  efforts  to  collect  relevant 
equality  data,  support  the  Commission  in  monitoring  and  analysis,  and  support  the 
national Roma contact points in reporting, with the assistance of the Working Party 
on Roma indicators and reporting.  

This  Recommendation  replaces  the  Council  Recommendation  of  9  December  2013  on 
effective Roma integration measures in the Member States89. 

Done at Brussels, 

For the Council 
The President 

89 

OJ C 378, 24.12.2013, p. 1. 

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