Promoting the usa of ESI Funds for Roma inclusion

Fields of intervention

Considering developments in relation to less developed, and in many

cases segregated, areas

(e.g. physical regeneration, housing)

where

there is a high concentration of Roma

. In fact, ESI Funds provide the

adequate framework, conditions and resources to address the situation

of these areas and, in some cases, launch pilot projects aiming at the

eradication of segregated settlements. Short-term interventions to improve

living conditions should be combined with medium/long-term interventions

aimed at finding sustainable solutions to ensure that these areas become

fully integrated in the territory and that the people living in them enjoy the

same opportunities as any other citizen.

Encouraging a long-term approach to achieve impact.

Aspects such as the

mechanism for allocation of funds (call for proposals or other) as well as

the type, duration and dimensions of the projects awarded are crucial to

this end. Experience from previous programming periods show that projects

with higher duration (and budget) have in principle higher potential to

achieve real change, whereas the short/medium-term calls – the most

common ones in these periods- lead to fragmentation of resources and

in turn decreased impact. To ensure impact it is important to change the

trends from the previous programming periods by moving towards projects

with an increased duration and budget.

It is important that

actions are framed and aligned with existing policies

and strategies in these areas at different levels

(local, regional, national

and European) and that they are

in synergy with other actions and projects.

Ensuring that interventions

in the different areas

do not contribute to

further promoting practices of segregation but rather to eliminate them.

Making use of existing information and reports on the Roma situation.

Research, data collection and gathering of information on the situation

of Roma are important to inform decisions to implement more effective,

result-oriented and targeted measures and interventions responding to the

real needs of Roma.