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Expert preparatory meeting for Defining the EU Integrated Platform for Roma Inclusion

Prague, 26-27 February 2009

The Czech Presidency of the EU Council together with the European Commission organised in Prague last 26 and 27 February an expert preparatory meeting for defining the EU Integrated Platform for Roma. The main objective of this meeting was to collect and share opinions from different stakeholders on the meaning, contents and mechanisms of operation of a European platform for the social inclusion of the Roma

The Czech Presidency of the EU Council together with the European Commission organised in Prague last 26 and 27 February an expert preparatory meeting for defining the EU Integrated Platform for Roma Inclusion, following the conclusions of the First EU Roma Summit held in Brussels September 2008 and the EU Council decisions on December 2008.

The main objective of this meeting was to collect and share opinions from different stakeholders on the meaning, contents and mechanisms of operation of a European platform for the social inclusion of the Roma. This Platform will be launched in an event to take place in Prague on 24th April.

There were around 30 experts and representatives from different Member states, institutions and organisations: European Commission, World Bank, Council of Europe, EUROSTAT, FRA (EU Fundamental Rights Agency), OSI (Open Society Institute), ERPC (European Roma Policy Coalition) among others. EURoma was represented by its Technical Secretariat.

Main issues dealt with during the meeting were: the criteria for participation at the Platform, who will take part of it?; the role of the Platform, will it become a new EU mechanism or will it be incorporated into already existing EU mechanisms?; discussion on proposed key elements of the Platform, such as exchange of best practices, monitoring of ESF, data collection or unification of basic criteria for national policies.

There was a general agreement on the need of coordination with already exiting initiatives, such as the Roma Decade or the EURoma Network. There should be a close relationship in order to achieve complementary of objectives and avoid duplication. As regards the monitoring of ESF, considered as a key element of the future Platform, experts welcomed the steps already taken within EURoma and proposed to build on that and to provide with a more policy impact-oriented approach.

Although expectations from different stakeholders on the future Platform differed, they all agreed that the Platform won’t be a product itself, but a process intended to reach a mechanism that allows improving the social inclusion of the Roma population in the EU. Therefore, despite the fact that no final agreement in the content and operation of the Platform was made, the exchange of ideas and proposals has certainly been a clear step forward in that direction.

Czech Presidency committed itself to reach a position incorporating all these different perspectives to be launched on April 24th.

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Expert preparatory meeting for Defining the EU Integrated Platform for Roma Inclusion

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