Fundación Secretariado Gitano

EU initiatives and financial support for Roma inclusion on the agenda of European ministers of employment and social policy [editar]

• International

On 13th October, the Council of the European Union, in its configuration of Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO), which brings together ministers and commissioners responsible for these areas, reviewed and adopted its  conclusions on the report ‘EU policy initiatives and financial support for Roma integration: significant progress made over the last decade, but additional efforts needed on the ground’ published by the European Court of Auditors in June 2016. The report is based on management audits carried out throughout 2015 in four countries, including Spain (plus Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania), to assess whether policy initiatives of the European Union and the financial assistance provided through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF) had contributed effectively to Roma integration and in particular whether the EU framework and the national Roma integration strategies facilitated the effective use of the ERDF and ESF for Roma inclusion measures in each programme period. In Spain the programmes analysed were the Operational Programme Fight Against Discrimination, managed by the Fundación Secretariado Gitano (FSG) together with other entities and the regional Operational Programme of Andalusia, both in the period 2007-2013. For further information, please check news item 

The Council welcomed the Court of Auditor’s Report and endorsed its findings and conclusions, calling on Member States to take due account of the Court's recommendations, which are aimed at optimising the use of European funds to improve the situation of Roma on the ground. Some of these recommendations are in line with the ideas that FSG has been promoting over the last years in its work at national and European level, both in coalition with other European entities and within the framework of the EURoma Network, which works to achieve a more efficient use of European Structural and Investment Funds (ESI Funds) for Roma inclusion.

The Council Conclusions, among other issues:

• Emphasises the importance of efforts and measures taken by all countries to improve the situation of Roma and the Commission's role in supporting this process, while reaffirming the Member States' primary responsibility in this area; 

• Reaffirms the importance of EU financial support for social inclusion measures, including measures promoting Roma inclusion; 

• Agrees with the Court's recommendation whereby the Member States, in accordance with their national practices, should consider making amendments to their National Roma Integration Strategies (NRISs), when revising them, and in particular: 

• • Ensure that civil society organisations and, where applicable, Roma representatives, are systematically consulted and included when Roma integration measures are being planned and implemented;
  • Define in more detail the role played by the National Roma Contact Points (NRCPs) in relation to the NRISs; and
  • Ensure that the NRCPs' powers and responsibilities are commensurate with the resources made available to them; 

• Calls on the Member States to strengthen their efforts to make use of best practices for Roma integration when making calls for proposals and selecting projects; 

• Calls on Member States to aim at a better overview of funds needed to successfully implement the EU policy initiatives to support Roma integration and National Roma Integration Strategies.

In its December meeting, the European Council will adopt specific conclusions on Roma population at political level, which will address aspects considered of relevance for initiatives targeting Roma inclusion. FSG is working with other entities at European level to ensure that these conclusions, to be adopted under the Slovak Presidency of the European Union, help give a boost at political level and achieve that the measures adopted by Member States contribute to make progress as regards the inclusion of the Roma population.

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