During the plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels (17-20 May 2021), MEPs debate on the Roma equality, inclusion and participation: extracts from the debate

Brussels

statement

debate

plenary session

LÓPEZ AGUILAR, Juan Fernando (S&D, ES)

situation of Roma people (T)

FRANZ, Romeo (Greens/EFA, DE)

POLLÁK, Peter (EPP, SK)

DONÁTH, Anna Júlia (Renew, HU)

DALLI, Helena (MT, EC)

ZACARIAS, Ana Paula (PT)

Roma equality, inclusion and participation: extracts from the debate

Title: Roma equality, inclusion and participation: extracts from the debate (EBS)

SOUNDBITE (English), Ana Paula ZACARIAS, Portuguese Secretary of State for European Affairs, The social exclusion of Roma is an injustice that we in the European Union have failed to address with sufficient determination. It's already a decade since the first EU framework for national integration strategies was put in place, and sadly, the results so far are disappointing. The figures are striking. As many as 63% of Roma age between 20 and 64 have not an employment, education or training. The corresponding EU average is 12%.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ana Paula ZACARIAS, Portuguese Secretary of State for European Affairs, Today all our efforts have focussed largely on education, employment, health care and housing. The new framework will seek to strengthen this approach by increasing the emphasis on three other core objectives. First, fighting and preventing anti-gypsies and discrimination. Second, reducing poverty and exclusion, so as to close the social economic gap, and third promoting active participation through empowerment and trust of these communities.

SOUNDBITE (English), Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality, The covid-19 pandemic has hit marginalised Roma communities particularly hard. Overcrowded households and the lack of access to health care, clean water or a regular income are just some of the factors that have increased our vulnerability to negative health impacts. Additionally, the mid-term socio economic impact of the pandemic has put Roma communities at risk of sliding even further into poverty and social exclusion.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Juan Fernando L&#211;PEZ AGUILAR (S&amp;D, SK), MEP 7 - 9th parliamentary term, The Council recommendation for the inclusion and participation of Roma minority, adopted in the 29th of March, calls once again the national plans to ensure inclusion and to tackle poverty and exclusion that touches a large part of this population. It's also about helping those who are most vulnerable : women, children, young people, people with disabilities.

SOUNDBITE (English), Romeo FRANZ (Greens/EFA, DE), MEP 8 - 9th parliamentary terms, The Commission present a new framework for the next ten years will almost the same content, but under a new title and supported by a Council recommendation. However, this will produce no significant change and the EU is losing credibility on the topic because of this continuous, superficial approach.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Maite PAGAZAURTUND&#218;A (Renew, ES), All human beings have the same dignity. They should not be stigmatised for the ethnicity they are born into. Simply tarnishing a whole ethnicity for certain actions is supposed that actions is completely unacceptable. It's about creating enemies. It's a vicious circle of lack of opportunity, discrimination, and it gets passed down. Generation to generation. How can you create an enemy of a child? We have to break this vicious cycle every human being has its dignity.