1. José Manuel Fresno EURoma meeting Budapest, 8 November 2011

2. 1. Rationale 2. Aim and contents of the guide a.General aim b.Specific objectives c.Structure of the guide d.Other characteristics 3. Working process

3.  European Commission recently presented its draft Proposal for a Regulation on Structural Funds (SF) in the next programming period. Highlights 10 thematic priorities, including: ◦ employment (priority 8), ◦ education (priority 10), ◦ the fight against exclusion and the promotion of social inclusion (priority 9).  Draft European Social Fund (ESF) Regulation for 2014 – 2020: ◦ stresses that 20% of the total funding of the ESF will be focused on promoting inclusion and the fight against poverty. ◦ refers to the Roma as one of the groups that should be explicitly covered by these funds.  Timing: ◦ Regulations expected to be approved in 2012 or early 2013. ◦ Member States will begin drafting their respective National Partnership Contracts, Operational Programmes (OPs) etc. in 2013 or early 2014.

4.  Existing analyses by EC Roma Task Force and EURoma have demonstrated substantial weaknesses in the use of SF aimed at Roma inclusion. The main limitations are related to governance, absorption and accountability issues. ◦ Inefficient managing models and coordination mechanisms. ◦ Level of expenditure is very low especially in countries with large Roma populations; ◦ Little accountability and available information on the results and impact of SF on Roma.  Commission stresses that improvements should be made in the current programming period and effective use of the SF should be made beyond 2013, while designing and implementing National Roma Integration Strategies or a set of integrated measures.

5.  Adequate use of SF may be crucial for achieving Roma inclusion: ◦ long-term, sustainable projects, ◦ extensive financial support, ◦ possibility of combining action levels (actions implemented concurrently at the national – policies – and local – grassroots – levels). ◦ holistic approach to economic development and social cohesion by covering different areas, including education, employment, investment in infrastructures and the fight against exclusion and discrimination. ◦ Strong partnerships schemes, including between public and private organisations, for policy design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

6.  EURoma’s mission: ◦ To promote the use of SF to enhance the effectiveness of policies targeting the Roma community and promote social inclusion by developing a common approach and creating a forum for debate and mutual learning. ◦ Primary aim is to support Member States in their planning process by:  sharing strategies, initiatives and approaches;  promoting mutual learning and the fine tuning of knowledge based on positive experience and practices;  by disseminating and standardising such knowledge.  The EURoma network has gained substantial knowledge in recent years on how to make use of the SF for Roma inclusion. ◦ Its priority for the coming two years is to provide Member States with the adequate tools, support and orientations to plan OPs in ways that effectively benefit Roma and overcome past failures.

7.  The general aim of the guide is to support the effective inclusion of Roma in the next Programming Period of the SF by providing a tool for the Member States in the planning process, in accordance with the objectives of the Europe 2020 Strategy and the National Reform Programmes, their National Roma Strategies or set of specific measures, and the EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies.

8.  To provide a tool for the EU Member States (Units responsible for planning different SF) that they may use to include Roma when drafting their Common Strategic Frameworks and Operational Programs.  To identify and suggest different possible forms of tackling Roma needs and addressing Roma socio-economic inclusion in the next SF programming period.  To analyse the key issues that OPs should presently address within the strategic areas (employment, education, housing, health, anti-discrimination and gender equality) identified in the EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies, within the framework of the strategic priorities set by the SF Regulations.

9.  To propose practical recommendations, based on prior experience, to gain effectiveness in the use of SF for Roma inclusion.  To provide examples in the use of the SF in the social inclusion of Roma or other target groups and lessons that may inform the design of OPs and other form of implementation.

10.  Ch.1. Connecting Structural Funds, National Reform Programmes and National Roma Integration Strategies or specific set of measures.  Ch.2. Applying the Ten Common Basic Principles to the Structural Funds planning process and to the OPs, with particular reference to the principles no.2 (‘explicit but not exclusive targeting’) and no.4 (‘aiming for the mainstream’).  Ch.3. Including Roma issues in the Common Strategic Framework and National Partnership Contracts

11.  Ch.4. Mainstreaming Roma in the OPs of different Structural Funds  Ch.5. Targeting Roma in Specific OPs of different Structural Funds.  Ch.6. Making effective use of other forms of implementation and options provided by the future regulations

12.  Size: Circa 40 pages + Annexes and References.  Didactic style, including examples, practical recommendations, remarks, summaries.

13.  November 2011: Draft proposal  December 2011: Updated draft proposal including comments  March - April 2011: first draft for discussion  June 2012: Second draft for discussion and adoption  July 2012: Final draft  September – December 2012: editing, printing and dissemination, including possible events for the presentation or specific sessions with member states, or with the involvement the Commission (pending discussion).