Promoting the usa of ESI Funds for Roma inclusion

Introduction and methodology

1.1. Introduction

European Structural and Investment Funds (ESI Funds) Regulations for the 2014-2020

programming period imply substantial progress in relation to the 2007-2013 programming

period and offer a broad range of opportunities to promote the inclusion of vulnerable

groups, including Roma. One of the main advances is the establishment, for the first

time, of a

specific Investment Priority (IP) focused on the ‘Socio-economic integration of

marginalised communities such as the Roma’ under the European Social Fund: IP 9.2.

under Thematic Objective (TO) 9 ‘Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty’.

In addition, other European Social Fund (ESF) and European Regional Development

Fund (ERDF) thematic objectives and investment priorities could be of relevance for

Roma inclusion, such as those within ESF and ERDF Thematic Objectives 8 (Promoting

sustainable and quality employment and supporting labour mobility) and 10 (Investing

in education, training and vocational training for skills and lifelong learning). The ex-ante

conditionality under ESF/ERDF Thematic Objective 9 requiring that ‘A national Roma

inclusion strategic policy framework is in place’ is another element of progress.

Now, with the Operational Programmes (OPs) adopted and the implementation phase

recently launched,

it is timely to review how countries plan their investments in Roma

inclusion within this general framework and to which extent they use the opportunities

offered.

In this context,

this analysis aims to provide an overview of how Roma inclusion

is considered in the Operational Programmes adopted for the 2014-2020 programming

period

with a view to:

Improve the knowledge and understanding of the plans to use ESI Funds to promote the

inclusion of the Roma population in the 2014-2020 programing period.

Serve as a tool for the exchange of information and mutual learning between relevant

actors.

Identify, building upon the outcomes and the lessons learnt from the 2007-2013

programming period, potential challenges and aspects to be taken into account for

the implementation phase of the 2014-2020 programming period.

Spark reflection and debate among stakeholders on these potential challenges and

identify possible ways to address them.