Liberal action plan to fight Roma discrimination

6.22.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 24th Mar 2004

Sarah Ludford MEP with Ms Viktoria Mohacsi who is responsible for Roma integration in Hungary and a prospective Liberal MEP and Swedish Liberal MEP Cecilia Malmstrom

The European Liberal Democrat and Reform (ELDR) Group debated the rights of the Roma in an enlarged European Union in a public seminar at the European Parliament, yesterday. Baroness Sarah Ludford, London MEP and European justice spokeswoman for the Liberal Democrats said:

"This seminar demonstrates the continuing commitment of the European Liberal group to human rights and non-discrimination. It is appropriate to raise awareness of the plight of the approximately 8 million Roma across Europe, especially in view of the next enlargement on 1st May which brings 1.5 million new Roma citizens into the EU."

"The situation of the Roma has not improved radically in the last decade, and prejudice and discrimination have not diminished. Words of compassion are no longer enough: clear political will and resolute action are needed to address the problem."

The workshop concluded with a 10 point action plan consisting of:

1) To raise awareness of the Roma people, culture and history so as to foster understanding and unity in diversity, across the enlarged EU

2) To encourage cross-border awareness through the exchange of good practice and 'peer review'

3) Calling on the EU to develop a medium-term (5-10 year) strategy co-ordinating programmes and policy for the Roma rooted in respect for their human rights, and implemented through a 'Roma Secretariat' in the European Commission

4) To support the creation of a Roma Intergroup in the next European Parliament

5) Collection of reliable and comparative data on the situation of the Roma across Europe, in order to measure the effectiveness of policies for social and economic progress

6) To include policies to assist the Roma communities geographically located outside the enlarged EU, in particular in the former Soviet Union and the Balkans.

7) To develop financial support for the inclusion of Roma into mainstream society and to encourage access to European structural funds

8) To ensure that Roma can take advantage of the EU's system of legal protection such as the Race Equality Directive

9) To pursue in particular issues of school segregation and unemployment among the Roma communities

10) To improve co-operation with other relevant international bodies, such as the World Bank. Council of Europe and OSCE, and to liaise with the European Roma Forum being set up

Note:

The ELDR workshop included participants from the European Parliament, NGOs and national parties and governments, from existing and incoming Member States. Speakers included: Graham Watson MEP (Leader, ELDR Group), Sarah Ludford MEP (Justice and Home Affairs spokeswoman, ELDR Group), Cecila Malmstrøm MEP (Foreign Affairs spokeswoman, ELDR Group), Dimitra Petrova (Executive Director, European Roma Rights Centre), Anthony Lockett (European Commission), Rumyan Russinov (Director of Roma Participation project, Open Society Institute), Vikória Mohácsi (Ministerial Commissioner for Integration of Roma, Hungary), Gunnar Jansson (Member of the Council of Europe), and Angéla Kóczé (Director, European Roma Information Office).

Related Link:

Read a Written Declaration tabled in the European Parliament by Sarah Ludford on this issue.