09/05/2022
On Europe Day (9 May), we must celebrate the progress which has been achieved thanks to European institutions in terms of equality, non-discrimination and the fight against poverty. However, this progress is still limited, and we must continue to have a committed, united Europe which is capable of ensuring equal rights for all people, while providing especial support to those in situations of greater social vulnerability such as Roma people.
The approval of National Strategic Frameworks for the equality, inclusion and participation of the Roma population in Member States, following the lead set by the European Union in the renewal of the EU Roma framework for this new decade, is still the foundation for progress in terms of achieving equal rights for European Roma people alongside other European citizens.
The boost provided by the new European Anti-racism Action Plan 2020-2025, which will see the approval of state Action Plans against Racism across the EU at the end of this year, will be another lever for social change to tackle structural racism on our continent, including antigypsyism.
This year will also witness the approval of state and regional Programmes for the new programming period of the European Cohesion Policy Funds. The ESF+ and ERDF play a particularly important role in terms of investing in and responding to the specific needs of the Roma population. The European Union also plays an essential role in directing investment and implementing public policy to ensure progress is made in terms of equality for Roma people. One among several significant aspects of this role is the definition of a specific objective within the ESF+, focusing on socioeconomic inclusion for the Roma population, and allowing specific funds to be allocated to achieving progress in employment, housing, education and the fight against discrimination, among other areas. In summary, it allows significant funding to be directed towards the strategic objectives set out in the Roma strategies of each Member State.
We therefore celebrate the work and the efforts of European institutions on behalf of the Roma population, while maintaining that this support must be continually reinforced in order to guarantee its effectiveness on the ground, with the necessary assistance provided to ensure this effectiveness and to monitor progress.
Over the last decade, EU institutions have been key actors driving the fight against the inequality and discrimination suffered by many Roma people across Europe. They have placed this issue on the European agenda and consequently on national agendas as well. The EU must continue to lead the response to compounded inequalities with a vision which combines urgency (as seen for example in the response to COVID-19) with medium- and long-term structural measures, which are the most effective tools for achieving equal rights for European Roma citizens.
This driving force has now been renewed for another decade, in which we believe that, with hard work from all involved, we will achieve real progress in terms of equal rights for Roma people.
We hope that Europe’s response to the invasion and war in Ukraine will serve to bring peace, solidarity and unity.
ER-0747/2014
