European Commission calls on Member States to implement national plans for Roma integration

The European Commission called on EU Member States, in a report adopted on 23 May 2012, to implement their national strategies to improve the economic and social integration of Europe's 10 to 12m Roma.

Separately, a new report published jointly by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on 23 May 2012 said that many Roma continued to face discrimination and social exclusion across the EU.

• Primary Source

European Commission: Speech, 23.5.12: Viviane Reding Vice-President of the European Commission, EU Justice Commissioner The Commission's Communication on "National Roma Integration Strategies: a first step in the implementation of the EU Framework" Press Conference Strasbourg, 23 May 2012 http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/12/379&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

European Commission: Speech, 23.5.12: László Andor Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion "Roma - Member States must implement effective strategies" Press conference Strasbourg, 23 May 2012 http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/12/380&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

ESO: Background information: The EU and the Roma http://www.europeansources.info/record/roma-in-europe/

ESO: Background information: Roma face persecution in Europe, says Amnesty http://www.europeansources.info/record/roma-face-persecution-in-europe-says-amnesty/

FRA: Press Release, 23.5.12: Widespread Roma exclusion persists, find new surveys http://fra.europa.eu/fraWebsite/news_and_events/infocus12_2305_en.htm

România libera, 24.5.12: Roma still on the margins (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief/2049301-roma-still-margins

EurActiv, 24.5.12: Brussels urges EU countries to act on Roma integration http://www.euractiv.com/search/apachesolr_search/roma

EUObserver, 23.5.12: Brussels critical of national strategies on Roma http://euobserver.com/851/116355

---