Roma discrimination demands strong EU action (Enfield Liberal Democrats)

Enfield Liberal Democrats <info@enfieldlibdems.org.uk>

Roma discrimination demands strong EU action

April 8, 2010 5:00 PM
Originally published by Sarah Ludford MEP

London Liberal Democrat MEP Sarah Ludford, a long-time campaigner for equal treatment for the EU's 10 million Roma people plus the 4 million in the Balkans and Turkey, has called on International Roma Day (April 8th 2010) for determined EU action to eliminate the continued prejudice, discrimination, hostility and violence Roma people face and ensure they enjoy equal opportunities.

The second international Roma summit is taking place today in Spain which currently holds the rotating EU Presidency. These summits have their roots in the first major gathering of Roma representatives which took place in London in 1971.

Sarah Ludford said:

"Roma people constitute an ethnic minority in many European Union as well as candidate and neighbouring states, which makes their systematic exclusion from mainstream society a priority issue for EU involvement. It is quite shocking that a Common Agricultural Policy is taken for granted while a Common Roma Policy is regarded as problematic."

"This second Roma summit needs to do better than the first, which produced no concrete conclusions. It needs to propose to EU leaders a strong European strategy which spreads best practice, with funds attached which are targeted to end racial discrimination against Roma in housing, education and jobs."

"In many countries, even after decades of supposed concern, most Roma children get shunted off to segregated 'special' - which means second-rate - schools and millions of Roma live in shanty-towns. Yet it is predicted that in 2040, 40% of new entrants to the labour market in Hungary will be Roma, and if they remain marginalised the social tensions as well as economic waste will be enormous."

Sarah Ludford co-sponsored the resolution on the Second International Roma summit that was adopted by the European Parliament last month and which called for a comprehensive framework strategy for Roma inclusion, see the link below. A response from the European Commission is awaited.