Roma Equality and Inclusion in the 2025 European Semester

In June 2025, the European Commission published the 2025 European Semester Spring Package, including Country Reports and Country Specific Recommendations for each of the 27 EU Member States. Country Reports provide a detailed analysis of each Member State’s economic and social developments and challenges and assess the extent these are addressed by national policies.

If we consider to what extent Roma equality and inclusion have been addressed, we find that in the Communication on the Spring Package there is only one reference to Roma, which relates to inclusive labour markets and the fact that ‘the labour market participation of women and underrepresented groups, including Roma, is key, particularly in view of the shrinking working-age population, as emphasised in the Union of Equality Strategies’.

As regards the 2025 Country Reports, while some progress can be observed in terms of visibility and recognition of Roma-related issues in certain countries, overall attention to Roma equality and inclusion remains insufficient and largely inconsistent across Member States.

The following countries include references to Roma in their reports: Bulgaria, Czechia, Greece. Hungary, Ireland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain. These references mostly focus on persistent inequalities in access to education, employment, housing, and healthcare, as well as on the prevalence of discrimination and segregation.

Countries such as Bulgaria, Czechia, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania include more detailed references to the situation of Roma. Other countries, such as Spain and Greece mention Roma only briefly or within broader references to marginalised or vulnerable groups.

In addition, the Council Recommendations include references to Roma in the following countries: Bulgaria, Czechia, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Spain.

The Country-Specific Recommendations adopted by the Council remain largely silent on the Roma issue. While several CSRs call for improvements in access to education, skills, employment, and social services for disadvantaged groups, they rarely address the specific needs of Roma communities.

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