Meeting in plenary session on Wednesday 2 April, MEPs debated the implementation of the EU strategy for Roma equality, inclusion and participation (2020-2030) (see EUROPE 12576/9). Systemic discrimination against the six million Roma living in the European Union, despite this ‘roadmap’, was a recurring theme in the speeches.
Prefacing the discussions, the European Commissioner for Equality, Hadja Lahbib, said: “To achieve a true Union of Equality, we need to foster a society where non-discrimination and equality prevail. But progress on Roma inclusion is still too little and too slow”. She insisted that “it is unacceptable, for example, that the life expectancy of Roma women and men is around ten years less than that of the general population”.
In fact, the integration of equality into all EU policies, the rigorous application of existing legislation and better mobilisation of European funds are the three main guidelines that the Commission is committed to following.
“We must make the best use of European funds to have a lasting impact on the lives of marginalised Roma communities”, the Commissioner stressed.
French MEP Murielle Laurent (S&D) spoke of the realities on the ground. “16 September 2021, 7.59 a.m. (...) That was the date of the eviction of a Roma camp in my town. Summed up in three terms: social distress, lack of humanity, indifference on the part of the French state”.
She lamented the fact that “in recent years, the discrimination they suffer has been ignored”, and called on the EU to “show that it is founded on values of solidarity with all its citizens, without exception”.
The alienation from society is reflected in the very heart of the Chamber, hence this criticism from Estrella Galán (The Left, Spanish): “This is the first time since 2004 that there is not a single Roma MEP among us”.
Francisco Assis (S&D, Portuguese) denounced “structural discrimination” and pointed out that “promises have not, in most cases, been translated into concrete and effective action on the ground”.
Similarly, Loránt Vincze (EPP, Romanian), denouncing anti-Gypsyism, emphasised the slowness of the strategy’s implementation, without calling it into question. “We must promote the inclusion of the Roma in all areas of society”, he argued.
However, these findings were not shared by all elected representatives, particularly on the radical and nationalist right, where some questioned the strategy’s approach. Alessandro Ciriani (ECR, Italian) said that “integration is not just a question of resources or strategy, it is above all a question of will and respect for the rules”, adding that “many of these communities choose to live separately”.
These comments provoked the indignation of Nicolae Ștefănuță (Greens/EFA, Romanian). “It is not possible to accept this in the European Parliament”, he said. He went on to say that “the lives of the Roma are everyone’s problem”.
Following the statements by the elected representatives, Hadja Lahbib called for a “commitment from all (...) to make progress towards a more inclusive and egalitarian Europe”. (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)