On 29 January 2020 the European Commission's new work programme was published. As one of the equality and non-discrimination initiatives under the sixth priority - 'A New Push for European Democracy', the Commission announced its intention to launch an overarching strategy on Roma equality and inclusion strategies. The Commission's work programme scheduled the adoption of the non-legislative strategy in the fourth quarter of 2020.

On 6 February 2019, the European Parliament issued a resolution assessing the results of the EU framework for Roma integration up to 2020 and calling on the EU and the Member States to adopt a stronger post-2020 framework. Parliament would like the new framework to include a broader set of priority areas, clear and binding targets, timelines and indicators. It called for the new strategy to be centred around anti-Gypsyism, including a specific anti-discrimination goal; to be drawn up with the participation of Roma stakeholders and equality bodies; and to be allocated substantial funding. Parliament also urged the Commission to apply gender mainstreaming and a child-centred approach in the new framework, to take account of multiple and intersectional discrimination and to pay attention to specific groups within the Roma population. The resolution also sets out recommendations for Member States. On 17 September 2020, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the implementation of National Roma Integration Strategies, based on an own-initiative report from its Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE - rapporteur, Franz Romeo, Germany, Greens/EFA). The resolution puts forward concrete recommendations for the post-2020 Roma inclusion strategy, drawing on an impact assessment from Parliament's Research Service. Amongst other things, it urges the Commission to propose binding EU legislation on fighting poverty and antigypsyism and improving the living and health conditions of Romani people.

Research by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) reveals the extent of discrimination faced by Roma people in the EU. The results of a new Roma and Travellers Survey were released on 22 September 2020, revealing widespread poverty, inadequate living conditions, poor health, exclusion from the labour market and harassment.

On 7 October 2020, the European Commission has adopted the new Roma strategy: 'A Union of Equality: EU Roma strategic framework for equality, inclusion and participation', including a proposal for a Council recommendation to support Roma in the EU. There are seven areas of focus: equality, inclusion, participation, education, employment, health, and housing. For each area, the Commission has put forward new targets and recommendations for Member States on how to achieve them, both of which will serve as important tools to monitor progress and ensure that the EU makes more headway in providing the vital support that many Roma living in the EU still need.

On 2 March 2021, the Council published a Recommendation on Roma equality, inclusion and participation, which replaces the 2013 one. This recommendation invites MS wishing to take action to combat the exclusion of Roma people and Travellers to adopt strategic frameworks for the inclusion of Roma communities and to communicate them to the Commission by September 2021.

The 14th Roma Platform, taking place 20th-21st September, focused on mitigating the impacts of COVID-19 on Roma communities and the national strategic frameworks for Roma inclusion. Opening remarks were given by President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in which she emphasised the importance of Roma culture and history to the shared history of Europe. She highlighted the need to see real change across member states in the coming decade. Considering this, for the first time, the EU’s Roma Framework has measurable and quantifiable targets, with the aim of cutting the gaps across education, employment and access to basic sanitation.

On 9 December 2021, the Commission adopted a Communication on 'A more inclusive and protective Europe: extending the list of EU crimes to hate speech and hate crime' which aims to trigger a Council Decision extending to hate crime and hate speech the current list of so-called ‘EU crimes’ as laid down in Art 83 TFEU. Such decision would enable the Commission, in a second stage, to strengthen the legal framework on tackling hate speech and hate crime across the EU, particularly as regards Roma people. De facto, the European Commission notes an increase in hate speech and hate crime against Roma people.

In 2022, the Romani Week - a series of events dedicated by the European Parliament to Romani People in Europe was organized from 16th to 19th May in the premises of the European Parliament, in Brussels. The post 2020 policies for the equality and inclusion of Romani people were debated. Participants called upon European Institutions and Member States to put the fight against antigypsyism at the fore front of social and economic efforts for the inclusion of Romani people and to ensure their participation in all domains of public life.

On 25 October 2022, the FRA reported that 80 % of Roma surveyed across ten EU Member States live in poverty and in 'shocking conditions'.

On 9 January 2023, the European Commission published the assessment of Member States’ National Roma Strategic Frameworks. 

The 16th edition of European Platform for Roma Inclusion, jointly organized by the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the European Commission, was held on 30 November 2023 in Madrid. The event addressed the issue of 'Ensuring equal access to adequate desegregated housing through better use of EU and national funds'.  It  also offered a platform to present the Council Conclusions on 'Measures to ensure equal access for Roma to adequate and desegregated housing, and to address segregated settlements' that were adopted on 9 October 2023. 

References

• European Parliament, Resolution on the need for a strengthened post-2020 Strategic EU Framework for National Roma Inclusion Strategies and stepping up the fight against anti-Gypsyism, 2019/2509(RSP) 
• European Parliament, Resolution of 17 September 2020 on the implementation of National Roma Integration Strategies: combating negative attitudes towards people with Romani background in Europe, 2020/2011(INI)
• European Commission, A Union of Equality: EU Roma strategic framework for equality, inclusion and participation, COM(2020)0620
• Council, Recommendation on Roma equality, inclusion and participation. Proposal for a Council Recommendation, 2 March 2021
• European Commission, A more inclusive and protective Europe: extending the list of EU crimes to hate speech and hate crime, COM (2021) 777 final
• European Commission, Assessment report of the Member States’ national Roma strategic frameworks, COM(2023) 7 final
• Council conclusions, Measures to ensure equal access for Roma to adequate and desegregated housing, and to address segregated settlements, 9 October 2023
• Report from the Commission on on the implementation of the national Roma strategic frameworks in light of the EU Roma strategic framework for equality, inclusion and participation and the Council Recommendation on Roma equality, inclusion and participation, COM(2024) 422 final
  

Further Readings:

• European Parliament, The impact of the coronavirus crisis on Roma and Travellers, European Parliament Research Service, March 2021
• European Parliament, Understanding EU action on Roma inclusion, European Parliament Research Service, April 2022
• Fundamental Rights Agency, Roma in 10 European countries - main results- Roma Survey 2021, October 2022
• Council of Europe, Recommendation of the Committte of Ministers to member States on equality and Roma and Traveller women and girls, CM/Rec (2024)/1

Author: Marie Lecerf, Members' Research Service, legislative-train@europarl.europa.eu