As a result of the work done under this Project on the phenomenon of drugs and AIDS within the Roma community, we can point a series of advances made in respect to the initial situation and some difficulties and limitations:

• The quantitiative impact of the project has been very relevant: through the training actions and the development of the program 1.182 have been direct beneficiaries responses have been made to almost 3.000 requests for technical assistance and the web page has counted with 5.000 visits.

• It continues to be an innovative project and a specific intervention model that includes new areas of intervention and addresses the need to observe the evolution of the health care situation facing the Roma in Europe in order to adjust local, national and European policies.

• It is allowing for the construction of a real forum for transnationality, partnership and transfer of good practices.

• It is raising awareness and empowering the different stakeholders: public administrations, NGOs, Roma associations, etc.

• It is easing the contact and facilitating the participation of organisations and administrations of Central and Eastern European countries which have a very large number of Roma population living in very difficult social conditions. In some cases we have moved forward establishing stable partnerships, reflected in the Sastipen Network.

• Extremely important empowerment, awareness and direct intervention work at national level is being consolidated with the Roma population within the network partner countries despite some lingering difficulties in some of them.

• Methodology, materials and good practices continue to be adapted in the different countries with very positive assessed results.

• Support is being given to the implementation of an information and observation system on the status of the Roma community in Europe in regard to health issues that is in response to the priorities set out by the European Commission concerning the need to increase awareness of the health situation of our target population in order to be able to set priorities and public policies; especially in the case of the most under privileged groups, in which the Roma are included.

• A greater level of consolidation has been achieved regarding the involvement and support provided by the public administrations of the different countries involved in the project.

Among the challenges that lie ahead after the implementation of this project, there are some actions to be developed and others that are at initial stages of development which should be considered:

• Technical support to associations, field professional and public administration for the drafting of health projects addressed at Roma population.

• Drafting, production and dissemination of material on health in general and specifically on drug abuse and HIV / AIDS specifically adapted to the Roma.

• Training forums in the different countries.

• Training for health mediators.

• Training exchanges among Roma associations.

• Creation of a standing forum to monitor the situation of the Roma population in Europe with regard to health.

• Continue addressing specific and general health issues affection European Roma in order to give the intervention a more integrated character and to place drug abuse work within a broader framework.

• Strengthen the transnational cooperation and increase the number of partners working with and for the Roma.

• Advance in the strategy of establishing the network in Central and Eastern European countries given the size of the Roma population in these countries.