Brussels, 06/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - In the late afternoon of Tuesday 5 April, the political groups of the European Parliament analysed a raft of measures aiming to improve the integration of the Roma population. These measures were put to them by the vice-president of the Commission, Viviane Reding (justice, fundamental rights, citizenship) and Commissioner Lázsló Andor (employment, social affairs, inclusion) further to the adoption by the College of its European framework for national strategies for the integration of the Roma (see EUROPE 10352). Equality of access to employment, education, health care and housing, the protection of fundamental rights and better use of EU funds are the priorities of the EP for their integration. However, there were voices of criticism from among the ranks of the S&D, Greens/EFA and the GUE/NGL, whose members felt that the Commission showed a lack of ambition: the Commission has not dealt with questions such as fundamental rights, non-discrimination, free movement throughout the EU and the fight against the feeling of xenophobia against the Roma. Also missing from this new strategy is the dimension of gender and the non-consultation of the Roma and NGOs when it was drafted, and a lack of clear sanctions in the event of a member state's failure to respect its strategy.
Absolute priority for the Hungarian Presidency. The minister Eniko Györi intends to present the new European strategy to the Platform of the Roma, which is due to meet in Budapest on 7 and 8 April. Then, the sectorial Councils concerned will tackle the document at their meetings of 12 April (JHA), 19 May (EPSCO), 20 May (Education), 23 May (GAC). The process will conclude when the document is enshrined by the June European summit. “But this will be merely a new start for coordinated action at European level to help this truly European minority”, the Hungarian minister concluded.
The Roma, not consulted. The situation is urgent, but Monika Flasikova Benova (S&D, Slovakia) can still not accept the Commission's decision not to consult the stakeholders when it drafted its European framework, which is nonetheless “a good result”. Indeed, she continued, it is “incongruous that the framework stresses the importance of cooperation with civil society in the European platform for the inclusion of the Roma whilst at the same time, the Commission failed to consult the Roma themselves or the NGOs!” Monika Flasikova Benova shares the view expressed by others that the Commission is showing a lack of ambition: it should take a bolder approach towards the expectations it may have of the member states in the fields of employment, education, health care and housing. The MEP added a fifth: the fight against discrimination and verbal expressions of xenophobia against the Roma.
Fines for failing to respect the strategy. Franz Obermayer (independent, Austria) showed Flasikova Benova the blue card. This report provides for fines for states which do not observe the new strategy, for example in terms of obligatory schooling. Should a state be fined if it does not respect this obligation? Do you think that the states should be held responsible, rather than the parents, if their children do not attend school? “I am in favour of there being rights and in favour of people respecting their obligations”, Flasikova Benova replied. Of course, she added, parents must make sure that their children go to school, and the member states must make sure that there are more resources to help them do so.
Weak points. On behalf of the Greens/EFA, the French member Hélène Flautre stressed a few shortcomings and weak points in the strategy. No reference is made to the necessary participation of the Roma at all levels - drafting, implementation, assessment - of the projects. Another shortcoming is that the strategy tackles non-discrimination horizontally in each of the four sectors (employment, education, health care, housing). “But what would have been very important would be a paragraph specifically devoted to the fight against discrimination, violence and in favour of access to justice for the Roma populations. This anti-discrimination, fundamental rights and access to justice plank is not specifically mentioned in its own right”, Flautre lamented.
An empty shell. Cornélia Ernst (GUE/NGL, Germany) lamented the fact that “this strategy does not go beyond education, employment, health care and housing, and contains no clear, concrete sanctions in the event of non-respect by the member states”. “As long as we are fighting generalised hostility against the Roma, until there is any change in their situation and if, furthermore, the member states do not put the strategy into practice, the whole plan is nothing more than an empty shell at the end of the day!”, she exclaimed. For the GUE/NGL, the communication of the Commission is “insufficient” and, Flautre concluded, “I expect it to be amended and improved”.
On behalf of the EPP, the Romanian Lázsló Tökes pleaded for European solutions and observed that in the new strategy, the target group - the Roma - has been defined using economic criteria, rather than ethnic ones. In the view of Lichev Stanimir (ALDE, Bulgaria), the situation of the Roma must be examined professionally and a massive effort to educate them must be made. Timothy Kirkhope (ECR, UK), described the proposal as highly bureaucratic. And the Eurosceptic Mario Borghesio (ELD, Italy) opined that the Roma's problems are largely of their own making. (G. B./transl.fl)