| Author (Person) | Davies, Eric | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Publisher | ProQuest Information and Learning | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Series Details | 20.1.03 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Publication Date | 20/01/2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content Type | News, Overview, Topic Guide | In Focus | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The expansion of the European Union is seen to offer hope of better treatment for the Roma people living in five of the countries invited to join the EU. A report from the United Nations Development Programme, published on 16 January 2003, states that Roma in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia have literacy, infant mortality and basic nutrition rates closer to levels in sub-Saharan Africa than other parts of Europe. The UNDP suggests that accession to the EU could help the Roma by improving economic conditions and helping them integrate into mainstream society, but warns that they could just as easily remain marginalised. Background An Enlargement briefing published by the European Commission in May 2002 (EU support for Roma communities in Central and Eastern Europe) estimated that the world Roma population stands at some 12 million, with about eight million living in Europe, of which some 75% live in Central and Eastern Europe. Alternative figures given by RomNews indicate there are 'about 12-15 million' worldwide, of which there are 'approx. 12 mil. in Europe' [sic]. RomNews claims that most Roma (also seen as 'Rroma' and often referred to as Gypsies) are found in the Balkans - especially Romania - Central Europe and the former Soviet Union. According to the Commission, Roma populations in eight of the countries due to join the EU are estimated to stand at:
The Commission's Enlargement briefing states that 'Roma originally came to Europe from India after the 10th century AD'; the Penguin Companion to European Union, in a brief entry on Gypsies (an alternative term for Roma), says they have been in Europe since the 15th century, probably spreading westwards with the expansion of the Ottoman empire. There are a number of subgroups or 'nations', including those in Spain ('Gitanos'), France ('Manouche') and Germany ('Cinti'). Whatever their origins the Roma now form Europe's largest minority, boasting a variety of cultures, dialects and languages. Although the Council of Europe speaks of Roma as 'the largest minority in Europe', they have traditionally been too poorly organised to ensure political representation and influence and have become the targets of (racially-motivated) abuse and discrimination. In most European countries - including the EU Member States - the Roma suffer from discrimination, social exclusion and human rights abuses. Problems are claimed to be particularly severe in ex-Communist countries because, reported the BBC, 'under Communism they had the same basic access to jobs, medical care and housing as non-Roma people.' (see Wider EU 'offers chance' to Roma people). The US Committee for Refugees monitors the plight of the Roma. In recent years, along with reporting on legal and other developments affecting the Roma, it has also reported numerous incidents of discrimination covering - depending on the country concerned - housing, social services, health care, employment and education. Harassment, hate crimes and physical violence (from police as well as other citizens), also featured as significant experiences of Roma people. In EU support for Roma communities in Central and Eastern Europe, the European Commission states:
In a similar vein, the Royal Institute of International Affairs stated in a March 2002 Briefing Paper, The European Roma question:
In April 2002 the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly 'painted a damning picture of continuing widespread discrimination against Europe's Roma community and called for them to have a stronger voice in determining their future ... Discrimination is widespread in every field of public and personal life, including access to public places, education, employment, health services and housing.' (The report from the Assembly - summarised in Assembly demands a stronger voice for Roma in Europe - did point out, however, that 'Roma should accept the rules governing society as a whole, and - provided they have appropriate support from the state - could be more active in handling their own problems'). Concern over illegal immigration (especially post-September 11) has caused many countries to review their procedures and to 'clamp down' on asylum seekers. In this context the United Nations has been asked 'to intervene with the UK, with Germany, Demark, Switzerland and other countries, to bring a stop immediately to mass deportations of Roma asylum-seekers.' (see Empowering Roma is aim of new UN programme). But old attitudes die hard. Amid concerns that 'the European media exacerbate the problem of discrimination by stereotyping the Roma as being predisposed to commit crime' (see European Roma Decry EU Human Rights Forum Agenda), the BBC warned that 'many in Europe see this impoverished but fast-growing population as a potential source of crime and illegal immigration.' (UN warns of Roma plight). The Roma are arguably something of an enigma: in the view of the Royal Institute of International Affairs: 'for historical and cultural reasons, there is a profound gulf between perception and reality in respect of people about whom more is believed than is actually known.' (The European Roma question). The UN report The UNDP report, Avoiding the Dependency Trap, looked at problems faced by Roma in five countries due to join the EU: the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia (to join in 2004), and Bulgaria and Romania (intended to join in 2007). Some 5,000 people were questioned. The full text of the report was not available at the time of writing. A UN press release (Living standards for Europe's Roma comparable to sub-Saharan Africa, UN reports) and other reports highlighted the following: Overall:
Living conditions:
Education:
Employment:
Representation:
A UNDP spokesman was quoted by Inter Press Service as saying that 'If efforts are not made now, there could be a movement from the new member states into other countries after 2004 ... That would probably increase hostility against the Roma, and lead to a backlash against the new member countries.' (see Millions of Roma Go Hungry). The impact of enlargement Despite continuing discrimination against them, in recent times the plight of the Roma has come to the attention of the international community - via initiatives such as Roma Nation Day, celebrated on 8 April each year - and there is growing support for action to help them from the European Union, the Council of Europe and other organisations. The EU has a vested interest in improving the lot of the Roma. Given that the European Roma population could reach 30 million by 2020 there appears to be the potential for significant social problems in Europe - including an expanded EU - if the 'Roma issue' is not resolved. According to the Royal Institute of International Affairs 'The internationalization of the 'Roma question' means that European institutions, in particular the EU, have a vital role to play in preventing further disintegration and ethnic fragmentation in the region and averting the social conflict, political instability and economic stagnation that may otherwise ensue.' (Briefing Paper: The European Roma question, March 2002). The EU has responded to the problem. In its Enlargement briefing EU support for Roma communities in Central and Eastern Europe the Commission details the range of instruments available to support the Roma. In addition to funding initiatives intended to improve the lot of the Roma - made under a number of EU programmes, including Phare, Socrates, Youth and the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights - the 'Copenhagen Criteria' which must be met by countries wishing to join the EU require them to guarantee 'democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities ...' External funding initiatives alone are unlikely to make much impact. In its magazine, equalvoices, the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia reported the view of the High Commissioner on National Minorities for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) that 'countless programmes for Roma have been destined to fail because they were developed without Roma participation, and correspondingly, with scant awareness of the specific culture and needs of the intended beneficiaries.' (equalvoices 06: The case of the Roma) The EU recognises that more needs to be done. In Towards the enlarged Union: Strategy Paper and Report of the European Commission on the progress towards accession by each of the candidate countries, published in October 2002, the Commission recognised the problems associated with Roma populations, including, for example: 'little has been done to remedy problems of social discrimination or to take concrete action to improve very poor living conditions.' (Bulgaria); 'more structural measures are needed in order to achieve significant results in remedying discrimination in access to education, housing and employment.' (Czech Republic); 'Roma policy is not well integrated into general social development strategies and exists as a separate and parallel project. Roma continue to suffer discrimination.' (Hungary). The report also stated: 'In all countries with considerable Roma communities, progress has been made with the implementation of national action plans to improve the difficult situation the members of these communities are facing. Continued efforts are required to ensure that the various action plans continue to be implemented in a sustained manner, in close co-operation with Roma representatives. Adoption and due implementation of comprehensive antidiscrimination legislation, in line with the Community anti-discrimination acquis, would be an important step forward where such legislation is still missing.' (The UNDP report Avoiding the Dependency Trap warns, however, that the integration of Roma will not be brought about by human rights legislation alone - opportunities for economic development are also needed). Will enlargement help the Roma? In Wider EU 'offers chance' to Roma people the Financial Times suggested in March 2001 that ''EU enlargement may change attitudes ... Roma leaders will be given a much bigger platform from which to air grievances. They could learn to put pressure on national governments by raising issues at the EU level.' It might, however, simply be a convenient way for governments to pass on responsibility: a 'western ambassador' quoted by the Financial Times in December 2002 ( There have been criticisms of the European Union's attitude towards Roma rights in non-EU countries, given that there are problems of discrimination within existing EU Member States (incidents of violence against Roma have been reported in France, Greece and Italy; Italy and Spain have the Union's largest Roma populations). The Union has been accused of continuing 'the unfortunate EU tradition of treating human rights as a purely external matter' (see European Roma Decry EU Human Rights Forum Agenda). Nevertheless, in UN warns of Roma plight, the BBC quoted Kalman Miszel, the UNDP's Director for Europe: 'In a European Union respectful of differences, the Roma should find their place as equal partners that contribute to Europe's extraordinary mosaic of cultures.' Further information within European Sources Online:
Further information can be seen in these external links: EU Institutions
Miscellaneous organisations
Eric Davies The expansion of the European Union is seen to offer hope of better treatment for the Roma people living in five of the countries invited to join the EU. A report from the United Nations Development Programme, published on 16 January 2003, states that Roma in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia have literacy, infant mortality and basic nutrition rates closer to levels in sub-Saharan Africa than other parts of Europe. |
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| Subject Categories | Politics and International Relations, Values and Beliefs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
