22/11/2017
FSG International
The European Network on Roma Inclusion under ESI Funds (EURoma) holds its second meeting for the current programming period. Twelve Members States and two European Commission representatives have met in the Portuguese city of Porto, where have been received by representatives of the host country. In collaboration with Portugal –as the host country- Fundación Secretariado Gitano (FSG) leads this meeting, as it holds the EURoma Technical Secretariat.After the meeting held last June, in which EURoma resumed its activity, this session presents a renewed image on the EURoma Network. During these days, EURoma presents the most priority activities that will be developed in the next months. Among them, is the organisation of a monographic workshop on social housing and Roma inclusion, to be held, presumably, on the first semester of 2018.
The main theme of the first day will focus on the implementation of the National Strategies for Roma Inclusion through the use of ESI Funds. To go in deep the matter, policy of cohesion and case of study on Roma inclusion under ESI Funds are debated by the attendants to the meeting.
The implementation of the Operational Programmes to achieve Roma inclusion is another core element to be analysed during the EURoma encounter. Through a participatory methodology, members discover the main coordination instruments existing in the different public administrations that work with ESI Funds. They also debate on the usefulness of having the specific investment priority for Roma population in the European Social Fund (IP 9.2). The analysis of the implementation of the ESI Funds during the current programming period and the future prospects for the post-2020 scenario are the main threat that runs in this second EURoma meeting in 2017.
On this occasion, the Portuguese members are the ones in charge of presenting the Portuguese context as regards Roma inclusion and ESI Funds. The analysis of cases and the presentation of good practices are the main tool to get an approach about how the ESI Funds promote social inclusion and combat the discrimination of the Roma population.
This second EURoma encounter represents a relevant meeting point that contributes also to the exchange of information and good practices between the EURoma members. Three years before the expiry of the current programming period (2014-2020), this is a key moment to assess the effectiveness of the ESI Funds to improve the social inclusion of the Roma community, and also about the relevance of including specific funding tools addressed to this population group.
The European Network on Roma Inclusion under ESI Funds (EURoma) is a European Network constituted by public administrations belonging to different European countries. Its main goal is to exchange knowledge and good practices in order to optimize the use of ESI Funds to achieve Roma inclusion policies, equality of opportunities and fighting against discrimination, and combating antigypsism. Since its creation in 2007, the FSG holds the EURoma Technical Secretariat, given the wide expertise it has in the field of the management of ESI Funds to Roma social inclusion. For further information about the last eight years of the EURoma activity, its last summary report is available on the next link: “Promoting the use of ESI Funds for Roma inclusion. A glance at EURoma´s eight years of work and how Roma inclusion is considered in the 2014-2020 programming period”.
