EBA - Roma Strategy: Milestone in the inclusion of European Roma. Lívia Járóka MEP

Roma Strategy: Milestone in the inclusion of European Roma. Lívia Járóka MEP

The EU leaders' approval for launching the Roma Strategy is a milestone for the 10 million Roma people in Europe. The framework for coordinating national Roma integration strategies adopted today by the European Council is undoubtedly an historic step", said EPP Group MEP Lívia Járóka, rapporteur of the EU Strategy on Roma Inclusion. The Council Conclusions adopt many key recommendations outlined in the Járóka Report.

The European Council has made an historic step today by unanimously adopting the conclusions of the Hungarian Presidency on the EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies up to 2020. "This agreement is a milestone in the social inclusion of Roma and provides opportunity to manage the future challenges of the European employment market", emphasised Lívia Járóka, the only MEP of Roma origin.

Similarly to the Commission's Communication in early April, the Council conclusions also incorporate many recommendations of the European Parliament's Report, such as the appointment of national contact points for the national strategies; the simplification of funding procedures and the creation of a robust monitoring mechanism with clear benchmarks for measuring tangible results. The principle of territorial targeting, i.e. concentrating development efforts in disadvantaged micro-regions, and the incorporation of an enlargement dimension involving candidate countries are also taken on board. Furthermore, the document reinforces the Commission's task of assessing national plans on submission as well as monitoring progress via annual reports on integration and the achievement of objectives.

As a result of the Hungarian Government's efforts, the Council has embraced the key proposals of the European Parliament and by having reached such an elaborated agreement on the issue at the highest possible political level, this day marks a milestone in the process of developing an EU-coordinated and locally-implemented action plan for the social inclusion of Roma.

"The launch of this strategy is an historic achievement for the Hungarian Presidency and marks a turning point for the Roma people in Europe. From now on, it will be up to the Member States to make their pledges by implementing the strategy and to realise its goals under the scrutiny of the Parliament and the Commission. This is not only in the interest of the 10 million European Roma, but the whole EU", underlined Lívia Járóka MEP.