Rome, 25 th February 2010 Added value of local, regional dimension in social inclusion of Roma Brian Harvey

Potential of structural funds Substantial funding, 347bn Substantial funding, 347bn Multi-annual, 7 years, time & scale to be effective Multi-annual, 7 years, time & scale to be effective Highly systematized Highly systematized Principle of partnership, #11 Principle of partnership, #11 Open to new entrants, innovation Open to new entrants, innovation New priorities, including minorities, with gender mainstreaming New priorities, including minorities, with gender mainstreaming Substantial scope in ESF regulation, ERDF, but Substantial scope in ESF regulation, ERDF, but Governments find them challenging to operate Governments find them challenging to operate

Many examples of structural funds for Roma Vocational & skills training Vocational & skills training Roma economy Roma economy Prevention of early school leaving Prevention of early school leaving Education & schooling (all ESF) Education & schooling (all ESF) Facilities for schools, culture, health, information, social centres (ERDF) Facilities for schools, culture, health, information, social centres (ERDF) Mainly Hungary, Spain, Finland, Slovakia Mainly Hungary, Spain, Finland, Slovakia See OSI Compendium of good practice

Many examples of EQUAL projects Roma vision, broadcasting Roma vision, broadcasting Bridge project (training), both Hungary Bridge project (training), both Hungary Divercidade project, Portugal Divercidade project, Portugal Living and working together, Austria Living and working together, Austria Cultural mediation projects, IRL, Portugal Cultural mediation projects, IRL, Portugal Centres in Slovenia Centres in Slovenia Pavee Point, IRL Pavee Point, IRL EQUAL Poland EQUAL Poland School assistants, Finland School assistants, Finland

Many projects in adjacent funds Social Exclusion Programme, Social Exclusion Programme, Programme against discrimination, Programme against discrimination, Culture programme Culture programme Health programme Health programme Leonardo programme Leonardo programme PHARE (accession states) PHARE (accession states) CARDS CARDS Democracy and Human Rights programme Democracy and Human Rights programme

Local authorities in projects Date to Poverty 3 programme ( ) Date to Poverty 3 programme ( ) Local Authorities (LAs) key deliverers of education, training, health, housing, water, sanitation, waste Local Authorities (LAs) key deliverers of education, training, health, housing, water, sanitation, waste CARDS has some high level LA involvement CARDS has some high level LA involvement But few projects initiated by LAs. Most by NGOs with LAs as partners. But few projects initiated by LAs. Most by NGOs with LAs as partners.

The best projects Involve many partners, incl. LAs (multi- institutionality) Involve many partners, incl. LAs (multi- institutionality) Tackle many forms of exclusion (multi- dimensionality) Tackle many forms of exclusion (multi- dimensionality) Bottom up, empowering Roma-led groups Bottom up, empowering Roma-led groups Connected to political systems, policies, institutions Connected to political systems, policies, institutions Dealing with hard political issues Dealing with hard political issues Innovation, imagination or new ways to tackle old, intractable problems Innovation, imagination or new ways to tackle old, intractable problems Scale, duration to be effective, leave a legacy Scale, duration to be effective, leave a legacy

Problem areas Too many top-down, short-term, small-scale, inappropriate, under-prepared, unresearched, isolated interventions, ineffective Too many top-down, short-term, small-scale, inappropriate, under-prepared, unresearched, isolated interventions, ineffective Low levels documentation, evaluation, dissemination, depends on individuals Low levels documentation, evaluation, dissemination, depends on individuals Few leave a legacy Few leave a legacy Few build capacity of Roma NGOs & groups Few build capacity of Roma NGOs & groups Focus on soft issues Focus on soft issues Learning not transferred Learning not transferred Evaluations consistent, repetitive on these issues, but little attention paid to them at programme level

Structural funds experience (EAPN) Partnership principle little observed Partnership principle little observed Limited involvement of NGOs at key points Limited involvement of NGOs at key points Structural funds little focussed on exclusion Structural funds little focussed on exclusion ERDF little used ERDF little used Failure or refusal to use: Failure or refusal to use: Global grants Global grants Technical assistance Technical assistance Capacity building Capacity building Bureaucratic accounting, driving out good groups Bureaucratic accounting, driving out good groups See EAPN manual

Programming Prospects for social inclusion diminished: Prospects for social inclusion diminished: Loss of EQUAL programme Loss of EQUAL programme Massification, governmentalization (PROGRESS) Massification, governmentalization (PROGRESS) Lack of Commission supervision of regulations Lack of Commission supervision of regulations Failure to resolve bureaucratic issues ( Striking a balance ) Failure to resolve bureaucratic issues ( Striking a balance ) Barca report attempted to reform cohesion policy Barca report attempted to reform cohesion policy Social inclusion as a top objective Social inclusion as a top objective Planning by regions, not by countries Planning by regions, not by countries Take funds away from local elites Take funds away from local elites Restore Commission supervision Restore Commission supervision

Ways forward Poor programmes get poor projects We need improved design across SFs We need improved design across SFs Reduce entry barriers for Roma projects Reduce entry barriers for Roma projects Longer, better preparatory phases Longer, better preparatory phases Value quality, evaluation, dissemination more Value quality, evaluation, dissemination more Value technical compliance less Value technical compliance less Make policy demands on applicants Make policy demands on applicants Set requirements for multi-dimensionality, multi institutionality, links to government etc Set requirements for multi-dimensionality, multi institutionality, links to government etc Effective supervisory system, Commission to drive up quality, not endorse bad operational programmes Effective supervisory system, Commission to drive up quality, not endorse bad operational programmes

Key elements (annexe) Programme designProject design Social inclusionBottom-up approach Targeting incl. RomaMulti-dimensionality Partnership principleMulti-institutionality Access by NGOsSize, scale, duration Global grantsLinked to policy, institutions Technical assistanceAddress the hard issues Capacity buildingPolicy focus and themes NGOs design to monitoringInnovation Commission interest, supervisionEvaluation, dissemination Proportionate complianceLegacy

Conclusions SFs still have potential for inclusion SFs still have potential for inclusion Issue is not more LA involvement, but improved programme, project design Issue is not more LA involvement, but improved programme, project design Now is time to prepare for Now is time to prepare for Yes, role for more LAs as partners Yes, role for more LAs as partners Yes, role for LAs as project leaders, working with Roma- led organizations Yes, role for LAs as project leaders, working with Roma- led organizations Need for these issues to be brought to heart of making of SF, cohesion policy Need for these issues to be brought to heart of making of SF, cohesion policy Thank you for your attention Thank you for your attention