Representatives of EURoma partner organisations, European Commission as well as other relevant stakeholders also exchanged about other relevant EU developments related to Roma equality and inclusion as well as to European Cohesion Policy Funds.
On 6-7 June, EURoma Network organised its first Management Committee meeting of 2023 in Brussels. The meeting gathered representatives of the public authorities in charge of European Cohesion Policy Funds (notably ESF/ESF+ and ERDF) and of the public bodies responsible for Roma policies (notably the National Roma Contact Points) of 14 Member States, including representatives of the 15 countries involved in the Network as well as other new ones.
Likewise, as it is usually the case, representatives of the European Commission Directorate-Generals and departments with competences as regards Roma equality and inclusion, the European Cohesion Policy Funds (notably ESF+ and ERDF) as well as other fields addressed in the meeting took part (as participants and speakers). The meeting also counted with the participation of representatives of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and of the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP).
Representatives of EURoma partner organisations and of the European Commission as well as other experts in the field gathered to address the situation as regards the
employment and training of Roma and the role that European Cohesion Policy Funds could have to address the many remaining challenges. In addition to exchanging on the use of ESF+ and ERDF (already happening or planned) in this field in the partner countries, participants had the opportunity to reflect on the existing challenges and opportunities in the current context, as well as on what are, based on experience, crucial elements and approaches for the success of interventions related to employment and training.
As a contribution to this reflection, the meeting was linked to the presentation of the impact evaluation of the 20 years of the Acceder programme on employment for the Roma population in Spain, as a case study on the use, over more than 20 years, of ESF funds to promote the employment of the Roma population in Spain.
In addition, the meeting covered the latest developments at political and financial level as regards Roma equality, inclusion and fight against discrimination and the European Funds (ESF/ESF+ ERDF as well as other funds such as the Recovery and Resilience Funds), with particular attention to the links between the policies and the funds.
