1. Brussels
Berlaymont Building
April 2010

2. SF and Roma inclusion – main achievements
Greater awareness of the plight of the Roma across and outside the EU;
Shift from only antidiscrimination/human rights to both antidiscrimination/human rights and socio-economic integration;
The Roma inclusion Platform and the 10 Basic Principles;
The EP Roma Pilot Project;
The partnership mode of discussion and consultation between the EU institutions and the Roma NGOs, international organisations and activists;
The programmes to cultivate the Roma elites;
The High Level Meetings;
The ERDF regulation modification.
The Communication “The social and economic integration of the Roma in Europe” and the Working Staff document on main achievements in the EU.

3. Modification ERDF regulation (EC) No 1080/2006 - art 7 (2)
Extension of housing interventions to all 27 MSs;
Extension of eligibility also to the rural areas;
Providing for the possibility of renovation of existing housing and also for the construction of new houses;
Promoting the use of the integrated approach, to be designed by the national authorities with strong partnerships.
The Basic Principle on Roma inclusion n. 2 was used to argument the modification “exclusively though not explicitily targetting Roma communities”.
1- Housing to all 27 MSs
Not only to the EU-12 as the Commission initially proposed. In fact, the Commission proposal aimed to “fine-tune” the existing Article 7(2) of the ERDF Regulation which limits the eligibility for housing interventions only to the new Member States. However, the EP REGI Committee did not share this approach and opted for the extension of the eligibility to all Member States, as now reflected in the proposed modification.
2- Rural and urban. This extension is needed since the majority of Roma population in EU 12 is settled in rural and not in urban areas.
3 – Renovation and construction. In fact, “renovation” in houses of extremely poor quality might result in a waste of public resources.
4- Integrated approach. In order to be sustainable, housing interventions have to be accompanied by actions in the fields of education, skills development, support to employment, health and others.
State of Art of the adoption.
14th April- COREPER with the final legislative act (lawyer linguist version)
26th April - Council adoption- General Affairs Council
17th May- Signature of the act by the EP( EP signs the texts only during its plenaries in Strasbourg)
Mi-June- Publication in the OJ.
Beginning July- Entry into force.

4. Post 2013 – few reflections Discussion are still ongoing
The Europa 2020 and the inclusive society, the third pillar of the new strategy
Roma are included in the flagship initiative “EU Platform against poverty”
Governance, Integrated approach and Couterfactual evaluation should be targetted in the post 2013.
Your input are very much needed!!!