EUobserver opinion: Opinion: New EU commissioner needs to be more active on Roma

BRUSSELS - The European Commission’s recent decision to open infringement proceedings against the Czech Republic for its policy of discriminating against Roma school children is a milestone.

Roma children are 27 times more likely to be placed in schools for mentally disabled children than non-Roma pupils. Exclusion of any group from mainstream education, whether because of disability or ethnicity, breaches international human rights standards.

The Czech government’s policy towards Roma also puts it in breach of the EU’s racial equality directive, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of ethnic or racial origin.

In 2007, the European Court of Human Rights declared that the Czech policy violates the European Convention. However, the government has done little to change the practice since then. After several years of calls from international organisations, civil society and Roma groups, the Commission has launched its first investigation into state-sponsored discrimination against Roma.

The Czech Republic now has two months to respond to the commission’s letter. If the government does not change its policy, the Commission will issue a formal opinion, giving the government a final opportunity to comply with EU racial equality rules.

Unless national authorities make the required changes, the commission will then lodge a case with the EU’s Court of Justice, which can impose financial penalties. It will take more than one infringement procedure to create equality for Roma, but by tackling state-sponsored discrimination, the commission is making a good start.

Four years ago, the commission pledged to improve the lives of "every Roma man, woman and child in Europe", with a specific Roma policy to promote access to education, employment, health and housing. All EU member states were required to create a corresponding national Roma strategy in those four areas. At the commission’s last stock-take, in April, Commissioner Reding declared "a wind of change" for Roma. In practice little has changed.

Little has changed

The commission’s progress reports give examples of projects that it considers successful in countries such as Bulgaria, Hungary and Sweden. However, there is little evidence that these projects have made a difference to the lives of Roma. Further, they are isolated, anecdotal examples, and not part of broader national policies capable of making a significant and sustained difference.

Dig a little deeper into the commission’s report and into analysis produced by NGOs and one finds that Roma in Europe continue to be victims of racial violence, unable to use health services, segregated in education, live separated from the main population in ghettos and have high unemployment rates.

If the newly appointed Commissioner-designate for Justice, Vera Jourova, wants to do better than her successor - she will have to combat anti-Roma attitudes and discrimination. These are the main obstacles standing in the way of effective national policies to improve life for Roma.

Anti-Roma attitudes have risen during the last twenty years. Recent research shows negative attitudes towards Roma among 85 percent of Italians, 66 percent of French, 53 percent of Greeks, 50 percent of Brits and about 30 percent of German interviewees.

Public prejudice makes government reluctant to put policies to promote equality for Roma in place. For example, a recent EU-financed housing project in Bulgaria failed because thousands of Bulgarians signed a petition objecting to having Roma as neighbours.

Public opposition persuaded the local authorities in the Czech city of Most to cancel plans for another EU-funded project which aimed to eliminate social exclusion. Negative views on Roma have also contributed to the decision of the Italian municipality of Naples to build a segregated camp for Roma, using approximately €7 million in EU funds.

If Commissioner Jourova wants to succeed on Roma inclusion she needs to do more than merely promote access to jobs and public services. The Union has strong laws in place prohibiting racial discrimination and its decision to investigate one of its member states is revolutionary.

Commissioner must follow through

But there are still many other examples of state-sponsored discrimination. In May and August neo-Nazis members of far right political parties, once again organized anti-Roma demonstrations in the Czech towns of Usti nad Labem and Decin. Forced evictions, without the offer of alternative accommodation, continue to be practiced in several countries. Last year, France evicted 21 537 Roma - twice as high in comparison to 2012. Forced evictions and other right violations have been carried out by Italian authorities under the “Nomad Emergency Decree”.

These discriminatory policies confirm and stimulate negative public opinion on Roma. The new commissioner can help to shape public opinion in a positive way and challenge stereotypes and prejudices. For example, by offering her support to a new European Roma Institute which will provide expertise to governments and policy-makers on combating Roma prejudices and how to present a positive image of Roma.

However, Jourova must also break the mutually negative reinforcing effect between public opinion and government policy by taking action as it has towards the Czech Republic.

If the new commissioner is serious about promoting Roma inclusion, she will need to see infringement proceedings against the Czech Republic through, and take similar action against several other member states.

The writer is a policy analyst on Roma and social inclusion at the Open Society European Policy Institute in Brussels