Newsroom

European Network for Structural Funds and the Roma Comunnity

Seville, 22-23 January 2008

January 2008 twelve countries of the EU together with a wide representation of the European Commission launched in Seville (Spain) a transnational Network aiming at the promotion of the use of Structural Funds (SF) to enhance the effectiveness of policies targeting the Roma and their social inclusion.

EURoma's meeting in Seville, 22-23 January 2008

Inequality and discrimination are the main obstacles to be faced by the Roma, and the Structural Funds are an excellent instrument to combat them. Thus, the added value of this Network will be the exchange of Roma-related best practices and projects, the provision of in-depth information about the use of the Structural Funds and to promote specific initiatives to improve their impact.

During a two-day meeting, Network members formalised their membership to the network and agreed on the operational and organisational structure of the network. In this occasion, besides the European Social Fund Managing Authorities, the bodies of the Member State responsible for policies targeting the Roma have joint this transnational alliance as Network members that will count with the strong support of the European Commission. Ms. Denise Sorasio, European Social Fund (ESF) Director, opened the Management Committee meeting and welcomed this initiative, emphasising the potential of the SF for promoting the social inclusion of the Roma population. Mr. Juan José Barrera Cerezal, Director General for Social Economy and ESF at the Spanish Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, continued with the welcome speeches, reminding the importance of the SF in the social inclusion of the most vulnerable groups. He highlighted that inequality and discrimination are the main obstacles to be faced by the Roma.

All agreed that the Management Committee will be the Network’s decision-taking body and within the framework of Mutual Learning at least three Working Groups will be created: social inclusion, employment and education. A Technical Secretariat will play the role of administrative and communications coordinator and will be managed by Fundación Secretariado Gitano.

Newsroom

European Network for Structural Funds and the Roma Comunnity

This website is cofunded by:

Technical Secretariat: