Hongaars voorzitterschap wil concrete doelstellingen voor beleid sociale uitsluiting Roma (en)

The European Economic and Social Committee presented its opinion on Roma social inclusion, formed at the request of the Hungarian Presidency, at an open debate on 28 April 2011. European heads of state and government are expected to adopt the EU Roma Strategy in June.

The Hungarian Presidency learned about the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) position on the recently developed Roma strategy, at an open hearing in Brussels. The Hungarian Presidency requested for the European Union consultative body, to form an opinion on the social inclusion of Roma. The EESC considers it to be one of its main objectives, to bridge European institutions and 'organized civil society', i.e. organisations that represent a wide range of economic, social and cultural interests, in their home countries.

Partnership for the implementation of the Roma Strategy

The draft opinions of the EESC was presented by its rapporteur, Ákos Topolánszky. (The final version of the opinion is to be approved by the organisation’s plenary meeting.) The report considers the proposal on the European Framework of National Roma Inclusion Strategies, adopted by the European Commission on 5 April2011, as highly important; and it points out that the organisation hopes to act as a committed partner in its implementation.

However, according to the report, the commission document is not ambitious enough; its adoption was not preceded by an open European and social debate, nor was the system of evaluating the national Roma strategies properly defined. Therefore, the draft opinion considers “the Council conclusions to be adopted in June as particularly significant, both content-wise and from an operative perspective”. This is the document in which the Hungarian Presidency summarises the debates, which were conducted in April and May with Member States.

The EU is also responsible for Roma inclusion

Speaking on behalf of the Office of the Minister of State for Roma Inclusion and of the Ministry of Public Administration and Justice, Melinda Horváth said at the hearing in Brussels that the Hungarian Presidency wishes to emphasise the economic and social aspects of the social inclusion of Roma. Although programmes and measures are needed at every level, the Presidency believes that the inclusion of Roma is not only the responsibility of Member States but also that of the EU.

The Presidency - in compliance with the EESC opinion - would set concrete goals in four fields of policy (education, employment, housing and healthcare), and would request Member States to apply wherever possible, the principles, which were submitted at the meeting of the European Platform for Roma Inclusion on 24 April 2009.