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The Social Situation of the Roma and Their Improved Access to the Labour Market in the EU

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The Social Situation of the Roma and Their Improved Access to the Labour Market in the EU STUDY Policy Department Economic and Scientific Policy The social situation of the Roma and their improved access to the labour market in the EU (IP/A/EMPL/FWC/2006-05/SC4) IP/A/EMPL/ST/2008-02 PE 408.582 JANUARY 2004 This study was requested by the European Parliament's Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL). Published in English only. Authors: Istituto per la Ricerca Sociale (IRS) Milano, Italy www.irs-online.it Chiara Crepaldi (coordinator), Paolo Boccagni, Marzia Barbera and Sandra Naaf. Authors of the case studies: Paolo Boccagni (Spain and Latvia), Simone Scarpa (Finland), Flavia Pesce (Italy) and Marieta Radu (Romania). Administrator: Christa Kammerhofer-Schlegel Policy Department Economy and Science DG Internal Policies European Parliament B-1047 Brussels E-mail: [email protected] Manuscript completed in October 2008. The opinions expressed in this document do not necessarily represent the official position of the European Parliament. Reproduction and translation for non-commercial purposes are authorised provided the source is acknowledged and the publisher is given prior notice and receives a copy. E-mail: [email protected]. IP/A/EMPL/ST/2008-02 PE 408.582 Table of contents Executive Summary .......................................................................................................................................ii List of abbreviations....................................................................................................................................xiv Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. xv Chapter I - Analysis of the status and legal definition of the Roma Community in the 27 Member States................................................................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Who are the Roma in Europe: internal differences between the Roma Communities............................................1 1.2 The legal status of the Roma throughout Europe .................................................................................................18 1.3 The socio-economic conditions of the Roma in Europe: common features and main differences.......................22 1.4 The role of the Media in disseminating prejudice and stereotypes.......................................................................24 Chapter II - An assessment of the directives adopted under Article 13 ECT......................................... 31 2.1 The inadequacy of the antidiscrimination provisions...........................................................................................32 2.2. Proposals to develop the potential of antidiscrimination law as an instrument for the protection of the rights of Roma..................................................................................................................................................35 2.3 The failures of a remedy-individual rights-based model and the need of a more proactive approach: the development of concept of positive duty to promote .................................................................................................37 2.4 Ethnicity data and the legal limits to their collection ...........................................................................................41 2.5 The quest for a minority ethnic status and the recognition of special group rights for Roma ..............................45 2.6 Forced evictions ...................................................................................................................................................49 Chapter III - Roma Community integration policies throughout Europe: a general overview and specific cases of best practices ..................................................................................................................... 58 3.1. Roma access to welfare provision in Europe: an overall picture.........................................................................59 3.2 National models and integration strategies...........................................................................................................68 3.3 A few good practices in Roma social inclusion....................................................................................................73 3.4 Access to (and impact of) micro-credit as an alternative to the access to bank credit..........................................77 3.5 The role of the Roma in their own social inclusion..............................................................................................79 Chapter IV - Implementation and functioning of financial and legal instruments: examples from case studies.................................................................................................................................................... 82 4.1. EU programmes and initiatives for Roma communities: the state of the art.......................................................82 4.2 Implementation and impact of key instruments, on a local basis: evidence from selected good practices ..........86 4.3 The role of other international organizations and the future prospects of Roma inclusion policies.................... 87 Chapter V - Conclusions: Issues at stake and possible policy options..................................................... 93 5.1 The social situation of the Roma in Europe...................................................................................................93 5.2 Issues at stake ................................................................................................................................................97 5.3 Elements for the decision making process ....................................................................................................101 ANNEXES................................................................................................................................................... 112 Case study: Finland.................................................................................................................................... 113 Case study: Romania.................................................................................................................................. 123 Case study: Spain ....................................................................................................................................... 134 Case study: Latvia...................................................................................................................................... 140 Case Study: Italy ........................................................................................................................................ 143 Bibliography ............................................................................................................................................... 153 IP/A/EMPL/ST/2008-02 Page i PE 408.582 Executive Summary The Roma Community across Europe has been estimated to consist of more than 10 million people: it is the biggest minority group in the EU. Throughout Europe no precise data exist on the dimension on the Roma Communities: in many countries ethnic registration is forbidden, while in others official statistics contain no information on ethnicity or self-identification. Throughout Europe the Roma community is composed of several communities differentiated by settlement model, culture and religion, legal status, language, and period of migration. These differences impact strongly on their status, opportunities and quality of life, but in particular on their level of integration in the broader national community. Most of these sub- communities suffer from the same structural discrimination; in particular, segregation in the fields of employment, education, training and housing. The denomination “Roma” is a term given by the non-Roma population or by the Roma themselves when distinguishing from the non-Roma population. Some authorities (such as the Council of Europe, OSCE, etc) recognize five main groups, which may be further divided into two or more subgroups, distinguished by occupational specialization or territorial origin, or both. In this study the “Roma” is used having in mind its great internal heterogeneity. The legal status of the Roma throughout Europe The legal status of the Roma minority differs across Europe from country to country and from group to group: it is related, on the one hand, to the period of migration of the groups, and on the other hand recognition in each country as an ethnic or national minority. Some groups of long-established migration are citizens of the country where they live where they are considered national minorities or ethnic minorities and have full citizenship. In the same countries some other groups are considered refugees or asylum-seekers and have no residence permit; in other countries they are considered asylum-seekers/refugees, but not in the condition to obtain the status. Quite a large number of Roma are nationals of countries now members of the European Union such as Romania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic and Slovakia: they are entitled to free circulation as European citizens, but in some Member States they lack full rights as workers. In most of the countries many of the Roma have no birth certificates or identity documents and are therefore considered illegal immigrants.
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