No EU member state likely to hit targets on reducing Roma poverty, report finds

Europe's Roma population is still facing far-reaching discrimination and the EU is unlikely meet its own goals set in the Roma Strategic Framework, according to a new report from the European Agency for Fundamental Rights on Thursday (2 October).

Roma families are still four times more likely to live in poverty than other citizens, the report found, and the agency concludes member states are now unlikely to meet their targets set for 2030 in the EU Roma Strategic Framework.

The report says that 70 percent of Roma and travellers live in poverty. Just over half of the Roma have a job, compared with an average across the EU of 75 percent.

Differences are already visible in the early years, according to the findings. Just over half of Roma and traveller children attend kindergarten or preschool. In the EU on average 95 percent of children do.

This is followed by only a third of Roma children finishing upper secondary education compared to 84 percent in the general population.

Additionally, when looking for a job, 36 percent of Roma felt discriminated against. That number has doubled from 16 percent in a 2016 Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) report.

“For centuries, Roma and travellers have faced negative stereotyping, marginalisation and exclusion. This stems from the age-old practice of othering as well as the lack of public knowledge or awareness of their historical experiences — from forced assimilation to Roma genocide during the Holocaust”, said Siobhán McInerney-Lankford, head of equality, Roma and social rights at FRA.

“Moreover, EU countries have been rather slow in adopting and implementing comprehensive inclusion strategies that would effectively address structural inequalities. All this manifests today in high poverty rates, poor housing, early school leaving, lack of job opportunities and ultimately lower life expectancy, harming generations of Roma and Travellers and their children.”

In 2020 the EU Commission published its strategic framework for equality, inclusion and participation for 2020-2030, with various targets, including: a plan to lift a majority of Roma out of poverty and ensure a 70-percent enrolment quota of Roma and traveller children in pre-school.

According to the FRA report no member state is likely to reach those targets.

McInerney-Lankford commented: “It is a sad fact that in 2025 Roma and travellers in the EU still face high levels of discrimination and exclusion and do not enjoy their fundamental rights on an equal basis with everyone else.

"It is also important to understand Roma and travellers across Europe are not a unified nation — they constitute a very heterogenous group of people. As such, effective approaches to improving their living situation and their position in society must account for variations across countries and communities.”

Every month, hundreds of thousands of people read the journalism and opinion published by EUobserver. With your support, millions of others will as well.

If you're not already, become a supporting member today.