Roma population situation will be on the table Today afternoon when MEPs discuss an upcoming Roman summit, held on 8 April in Cordoba, Spain.

The Parliament's rapporteur for the EU strategy on Roma inclusion is Hungarian MEP Lívia Járóka who is herself of Roma origina and defends that the social inclusion of Roma is not merely a moral issue but strict financial interest of all EU members: "since the proportion of the Roma within the active population which carries the social security system on its shoulder is growing steadily and there is a huge potential in the unemployed population".

Roma are the largest minority group in Europe, estimated at 10 million. Despite EU and national efforts, Roma are still facing discriminations, racist violence and hate speech, sometimes from the political elite in many European countries. In January 2008, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for a European Strategy on the Roma. Two years later, what has really changed in the lives of Roma?

As an attempt to answer this question a public hearing was organized with the support of GUE/NGL, on the 3rd of March, in the European Parliament, with several representatives from the EU institutions and political groups, civil society organisations and the European Roma Policy Coalition.

“Around 400 million Euros were spent by the EU without a real strategy” said Valeriu Nicolae, representative of European Roma Policy Coalition. He stressed the need of a community Action Plan, a strategy build for and with Roma. An efficient Action Plan will have to tackle four main areas: education, housing, health and social services and discrimination.

Katarina Mathernova, Deputy Director General of DG Regional Policy, said, “Poor housing leads to bad health”. This simple fact has been neglected by both national and European strategies during years. Though, without adequate and affordable housing, it is quiet impossible for Roma to have access to quality education or effective social services.

Several speakers stressed the need to give access to a quality education to young Roma. But in several European countries, as Romania or Hungary for example, Roma children are still facing misplacement in special schools for pupils with mental disability. But, even when children are welcome in mainstream schools, they are facing segregations, like deliberate placement in separate classes.

Education is the key of a successful integration. The European Union Charter of Fundamental Rights declares that “Everyone has the right to education and to have access to vocational and continuing training”. It is time to secure this right for Roma too.

(with the collaboration of Nathalie Duran)