The European Commission has launched the EU Anti‑Racism Strategy 2026–2030, aiming to take a significant step forward for advancing Roma equality, and to place structural racism, evidence‑based policymaking, and targeted investment at the heart of EU action.
The main lines of action covered by the strategy are:
The strategy aims to tackle structural racism, recognising antigypsyism as a specific and severe form of racism, announcing work on definitions, data collection, and anti‑racism education.
It strengthens enforcement of anti‑discrimination law and protection from hate offences, with explicit attention to racial bias in policing and algorithmic discrimination. These measures, alongside improved accountability systems, aim to reinforce safeguards for Roma, who frequently face discriminatory profiling and under‑reported hate crimes.
The strategy focuses on social equality (education, employment, housing, health, and social protection) acknowledging Roma segregation in schools, disproportionate overcrowded housing, and barriers in labour markets. It includes commitments to fund inclusive education reforms, conduct an EU‑wide study on housing discrimination, and support Member States via ESF+, ERDF, EU4Health and other key instruments to address inequalities on the ground.
It emphasises partnerships and strengthens the Anti‑Racism Civil Society Forum, renewing support for CSOs (including those working on Roma inclusion) and encouraging national and local anti‑racism action plans and complemented by structured cooperation with EU coordinators and international bodies.
Finally, it signals the Commission’s intention to “lead by example” by increasing diversity in EU institutions, improving training on racial bias, and strengthening internal monitoring.
EURoma Network contributed to the consultation process, and we are pleased to see how several of the Network’s proposals are included in the new strategy, such as the recognition of antigypsyism as a specific form of racism, improving the collection of equality data, the intersectional approach (through specific measures in education, employment, housing and health) and the focus on residential discrimination and segregation, among others.
On the other hand, the strategy falls short of incorporating other proposals, which Network members considered highly relevant, such as the inclusion of specific chapters on anti-Roma discrimination and antigypsyism in the strategy and in the NAPARs, the demand for a reinforced coordination between the NAPARs and the NPCs, the creation of specific funding for combatting antigypsyism, accompanied by specific indicators on antigypsyism.
Further information:
EU Anti‑Racism Strategy 2026–2030
EURoma’s proposals for the Anti-Racism Strategy
