The document discusses the Roma people in Europe and the European Union's efforts to promote their inclusion and participation. It notes that Roma make up an estimated 10-12 million people across Europe and face discrimination, poverty, unemployment and social exclusion. The EU and its member states are working to combat discrimination through legal frameworks and use of structural funds. They have also established a network of member state representatives called EURoma to promote Roma inclusion and sharing of best practices.

1. Roma and the EU Presentation by Ksenia Ivanova

2. The Roma Subject The European Union aims at promoting their full inclusion into society and their participation in the economy, in the labour market, in cultural life and in decision making.

3. For more than one thousand years, the Roma have been an integral part of European civilisation. Today, with an estimated population of 10-12 million people , Roma are the biggest ethnic minority in Europe, present in all 27 EU Member States. Most Roma are EU citizens. http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=518&langId=en

4. Who are they? T he term "Roma" refers to a variety of groups of people who describe themselves as Roma, Gypsies, Travellers, Manouches, Ashkali, Sinti, as well as other titles .

5. However, the situation is characterised by persistent discrimination and social exclusion. Roma are at risk of poverty, unemployment, stereotypes and prejudice . http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=518&langId=en&videosId=2444&vl=en

6. The European institutions and Member States have a joint responsibility to improve the social inclusion of Roma by using all the instruments and policies for which they have the respective competence.

7. EU and Roma a strong legal framework to combat Roma discrimination , based among others, on article 13 of the Treaty of the European Community, the Directive 2000/43/EC on racial equality and the Directive 2000/78/EC prohibiting discrimination in employment and vocational training. Member States have the duty to translate these Directives into their own national legislations . stimulating the use of EU Structural Funds by EU Member States in order to support Roma inclusion.

8. EURoma network composed of representatives from currently 12 Member States , to promote the use of Structural Funds to enhance the effectiveness of policies targeting the Roma and to promote their social inclusion.

9. Objectives S haring of strategies, initiatives and approaches, learning based on experience and best practices, and the dissemination and standardisation of such knowledge. Transmission and exchange of information, through internal and external communication channels Mutual learning : sharing of approaches and strategies, identification and transfer of experiences, creation of a forum for the organisation and management of projects, development of common and transversal products.

10. How it works The Management Committee (MC) The Working Groups The Technical Secretariat decision-making body comprised of all Network members, the EC and the T S . The MC meets 2/Y and is hosted by a member state on a rotating basis. acts as Administrative and Communications Coordinator

11. The Working Groups to share specific information on concrete issues to generate a pool of knowledge and instruments (assessment indicators, management tools, etc.) to standardise experiences and to transfer best practices ; to propose and organise actions (seminars, conferences, study visits, awareness-raising actions, etc.) fostering specialisation and the training of key agents; to provide non-Network member organisations an opportunity to participate in information sharing and other actions. Education Social Inclusion Employment

12. Second European Roma Summit 8th April 2010 Cordoba, Spain

13. The Sources All the information, videos and pictures source back to: http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=518&langId=en ( The EU site, The EU and Roma) http://www.euromanet.eu/ (The official EURoma site) http://www.fotosearch.com/ (Foto Search Site)