Partners will review the latest EU developments and discuss on key elements to be considered in the 2021-2027 EU Cohesion Funds programmes to ensure they effectively consider Roma population.
EURoma Network will hold its next Management Committee meeting on 29-30 June 2021. As previous meeting, it will be held online to adapt to the current circumstances. Much progress has been made since the first online EURoma Network Management Committee (October 2020) as regards the definition of the policy and financial frameworks related to Roma equality and inclusion. On the one hand, following the adoption of the EU Roma Strategic Framework and the Council Recommendation for Roma equality, inclusion and participation, Member States are finalising their National Roma Policy Frameworks (NRPF)/National Strategies (expected for September 2021). On the other, in parallel to the imminent adoption of the European Cohesion Funds Regulations (end June/early July), countries are progressing on the programming of their ESF+/ERDF programmes and on their plans to use the funds available through NextGenerationEU. Finally, different EU initiatives of direct relevance for Roma equality and inclusion have been adopted (e.g. European Anti-Racism Action Plan, European Child Guarantee…).
In this context, the second online EURoma Management Committee will pursue two main objectives:
- To review recent EU developments of relevance for Roma equality and inclusion, with particular attention to the opportunities offered and the connection between the policy and financial frameworks
- To promote the effective inclusion of Roma in the programming of the 2021-2027 EU Cohesion Fund programmes. To this end, the meeting will focus on a number of aspects of utmost importance to be considered in the programming documents: firstly, the connection between the National Roma Policy Frameworks (NRPFs)/National Strategies and the ESI/European Cohesion Funds; secondly, the use of a dual/combined approach (target & mainstream) within existing policy and financial instruments (at national and regional level) to address Roma equality and inclusion.
EURoma´s Checklist for the effective inclusion of Roma interventions within EU Cohesion Funds programming 2021-2027 will serve as reference for the discussions. This document aims to offer guidance to EU, national & regional departments responsible for programming EU Cohesion Funds (especially ESF+ and ERDF) on how to set the adequate basis in the programming documents, mainly the Partnership Agreement and the EU Cohesion Funds programmes, to ensure that measures implemented in the future have a real impact and contribute to reducing Roma exclusion and discrimination effectively.
Further information
- EURoma Checklist for the Effective Inclusion of Roma interventions within EU Cohesion Funds programming 2021-2027
- EURoma Management Committee meetings
