Fundación Secretariado Gitano

Madrid, March 2, 2012. - The FSG welcomes the National Strategy for the inclusion of Roma in Spain from 2012 to 2020 agreed by the Spanish Council of Ministers on March 2 and will be delivered to the European Commission in accordance with the commitment made by all 27 EU states [i].

The FSG, an entity that has been active in the process of elaboration, makes a positive assessment of the Strategy and the whole process that made it possible: the European Framework of National Strategies for the Social Inclusion of Roma. A Framework that we consider a milestone in the history of the Roma community in Europe and in Spain since, as stated in the Communication that the European Commission published on April 5^th, 2011, provides for the first time a common framework for the development of measures and policies at the national level of approaches, objectives and areas of work shared by all Member States.

We consider that the Spanish Strategy is a reference among those submitted by European governments [ii] as it incorporates specific targets and progress indicators for the medium and long term, and has emerged from an extensive consultation process planned and developed in collaboration with the Autonomous Communities, Local Government authorities and in consultation with Roma associations. In addition, it focuses on critical issues to the inclusion of the Roma that go beyond the requirements of the European Commission, as the gender mainstreaming approach, combating discrimination, promoting the participation of the Roma population, development of the culture and knowledge and provision of services to the Roma people from other countries.

This strategy is the consolidation of what has been called the "Spanish model for Roma inclusion", focusing on the areas which have a greater impact on the social inclusion of Roma (employment, education, health and housing), with general policies combined with specific measures, such as this Strategy. This strategic approach – State and European- is in line with the approach that the FSG has developed and applied for many years.

We also value positively the fact that the researches that FSG has developed in recent years (such as Roma population and employment, the housing map, the health survey or the research on education mainstreaming), have been considered as valuable references for the Strategy and to measure its future results, as well as mentioning the EURoma network [iii] which Technical Secretariat is run by the FSG, and a clear reference in the European scene.

We hope that the completion of this important process, in which much work and effort were invested both by the FSG and all the organizations and authorities members of the Roma State Council, will result in the final roadmap to advance in the social inclusion of the Roma population and that would reduce the differences and inequalities that still remains in the twenty-first century. This would also need further clarifications in the budget for the funding of the Strategy.

Finally, we congratulate both the previous and the current governments of Spain for the given impetus to this process in recent years (the Action Plan for Roma 2010-2012 is a clear antecedent) and for the approval of this final document. At last the FSG would like to express our readiness to cooperate with the government and other Roma associations to achieve these objectives in the coming years.

More information:

On the website of the FSG you can find a dossier (in Spanish) collecting the information and documentation relevant to the 'European Framework for the National Strategies for the inclusion of Roma. "

[I] The Spanish national strategy, which like the other Member States was due in December 2011, has been delayed due to the government change. The document linked refers to the final version approved on March 2 at the Council of Ministers.

[Ii] The National Strategies are on the website of the European Commission, Justice and can be found here.

[Iii] European Network for the Social Inclusion of Roma in the Framework of Structural Funds: EURoma