Giving Roma people the opportunities they deserve as EU citizens

Never in recent history has a European minority been more neglected and
discriminated against. For decades Roma people all across Europe have been faced
with systematic discrimination and denied the most fundamental rights to decent
living conditions and opportunities. The lack of integration of Roma is not new.
EU member states have long expressed their concerns about the situation but
lacked the political will to truly act on it.

For many years now, the Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament
have been fighting to put this issue in the spotlight and have been persistently
calling on member states to fully implement their national strategies for Roma
inclusion. They are also pushing for the European Parliament to be fully
involved in scrutinising the implementation process.

An international survey published in 2012 shed a new light on the disastrous
living conditions of thousands of Roma families in the European Union. According
to this survey, only 15% of young Roma adults have completed their education,
compared with more than 70% amongst the majority population living nearby. On
average, one in three Roma people has a paid job and almost half of Roma
families are living in unbearably insanitary conditions, with no water and no
electricity. Nowadays, about 40% of them cannot afford food at the end of the
month. In some countries, Roma people are under attack from anti-gypsy and far-right
groups who often operate with total impunity.

To add to this dramatic situation, the economic crisis is forcing many Roma
to escape poverty in their country of origin by travelling and settling
elsewhere in Europe. Many end up in makeshift camps where local authorities fail
to provide them with even minimal living and sanitary conditions. In many cases,
xenophobia and racism, nourished by ignorance and extremist groups, have played
a huge role in excluding Roma from participating in local life, denying them any
part in society.

International Roma Day on April 8 will be a great opportunity to raise
awareness on Roma inclusion and celebrate Romani culture. S&D MEPs will mark
this special event by inviting Roma representatives to the European Parliament
to discuss constructive approaches to tackle discrimination towards Roma
minorities.

"It is time for the EU, member states and the local level to act. Cities also
play a crucial role. We must avoid discrimination and racism against this
minority and revamp our help to them",

said S&D President Hannes Swoboda during a recent visit to a Roma community
in Duisburg, Germany. "The problems, mainly relating to a lack of education and
medical support, clearly show that we need special support for this group. I
reiterate my call for a dedicated commissioner for Roma at EU-level."

As part of the Relaunching Europe initiative, the S&D Group launched the
EuropePlus initiative last year aimed at promoting tolerance, solidarity and
inclusion among all Europeans, regardless of their ethnicity, origin, age,
gender or beliefs.

Through a series of field visits and discussions with local authorities,
minority representatives, social workers and citizens, EuropePlus aims to foster
positive and practical answers to exclusion and inspire best practices.

You too can participate in this great movement for change! Join the
discussion on April 12 as we organise a great Relaunching Europe debate in Lyon,
France, on integration and immigration. We want to hear from you so stay tuned
for more details soon. You can already send us your questions or comments by
Twitter using #RelaunchEU or
on our
Facebook page.