AD HOC COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS ON ROMA ISSUES

(CAHROM)

1st meeting

Room 5, Palais de l’Europe, Strasbourg

30-31 March 2011

FINAL MEETING REPORT

Opening and adoption of the agenda

The Ad hoc Committee of Experts on Roma Issues (CAHROM) held its 1st meeting in Strasbourg on 30-31 March 2011. The agenda [CAHROM(2011)3] was adopted by the Committee (see Appendix 1). The list of participants appears in Appendix 2.

The Special Representative of the Secretary General for Roma Issues (SRSG), Mr Jeroen Schokkenbroek, opened the meeting and proposed that the previous Chair of the predecessor Committee, the MG-S-ROM, act as Chair ad interim of the CAHROM pending elections of the new Bureau. This proposal was accepted by the Committee.

Election of the Bureau (Chair, Vice-Chair, Bureau member)

The Committee proceeded with the elections of its Bureau. Mrs Mabera Kamberi (“the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”) was elected Chair, Mr Ian Naysmith (United Kingdom) Vice-Chair and Mr Nicolae Radiţa (Moldova) as 3rd Bureau member.

Follow-up of the High Level Meeting on Roma: recent developments at the level of the Council of Europe

The Committee took note of the presentation made by the SRSG for Roma Issues about recent developments at the Council of Europe as a follow-up of the High Level Meeting and the adoption of the Strasbourg Declaration on 20 October 2010, in particular the new transversal approach within the Council of Europe and various projects and activities, including the ROMED programme for mediators, the setting up of a database of policies and good practices, the Dosta! awareness-raising campaign against prejudice and stereotypes towards Roma, lawyers’ training and Roma women empowerment activities.

The Committee took note of the presentation about the ROMED training programme for (Roma) mediators made by Mrs Aurora Ailincai from the Directorate General of Education, Culture and Heritage, Youth and Sport and who works as a project leader for the Support Team of the SRSG.

Role, working methods and priorities of the CAHROM

The Secretariat made introductory comments about the role of the CAHROM notably recalling the Terms of Reference of the CAHROM adopted by the Committee of Ministers’ Deputies on 16 February 2011 which make the Committee directly answerable to the Committee of Ministers. It underlined that the CAHROM should give space on its agenda for thematic exchanges of experience and good practices, as well as analysis of the implementation of policies, in order to draw conclusions about lessons learnt that will be of benefit to other member states. While the Committee can prepare new standards (such as recommendations) and draft opinions, the Terms of Reference place priority emphasis on analysis and evaluation of the implementation of national policies in light of international standards, and in particular those developed by the Council of Europe, without pursuing activities relating to monitoring.

In the ensuing discussion about its future role, working methods and priorities, the Chair requested Committee members to orally indicate whether they had adopted a national programme/strategy/action plan for Roma and whether they are currently developing or revising these documents. Twenty-five member states present took the floor to present recent developments in this area (see Appendix 4 for summaries of the statements made during the meeting).

In order for the Bureau members to make further proposals to the Committee regarding working methods and prepare the next meeting agenda, the Committee was requested by the Chair to provide the Secretariat with answers to the three following questions by 30 April 2011 [1]:

What are the specific thematic areas and types of policy measures about which CAHROM members would like to get more knowledge and experience from other countries?
Do member states have experience/good practices to offer regarding specific thematic areas and policy measures?
Could CAHROM participants (national members, international organisations, observers) indicate if they are aware of forthcoming international or regional events that will specifically address specific thematic areas (to avoid duplication)?

Ensuring coordination between various initiatives (EU Roma Platform, Decade of Roma Inclusion, EURoma network, etc.) was seen by the Committee as particularly important.

The SRSG informed the Committee about the possibility for a small number of CAHROM members having particular experience in the field of Roma education to participate in a small-scale workshop to be organised in Strasbourg later this year on effective strategies and measures to prevent or end segregation in education. The Steering Committee on Education would also be invited to designate three experts. Mr. Jan Hero (Slovakia) proposed himself.

The Committee decided to grant observer status to Amnesty International, which will be invited as from the next CAHROM meeting.

Thematic exchange of experience on (Roma) mediators

The Committee took note of the information provided by Mr Detlev Rein (Germany), Mrs Louiza Kyriakaki (Greece) and Mr Ljuan Koka (Serbia) about their respective models for mediators.

In his presentation, Mr. Rein (Germany) shared his views concerning some of the most frequent questions concerning mediators, highlighting the need to take into consideration differences between legal and institutional systems, as well as the diversity of Romani communities and Romani language variants spoken. His main points can be summarized as follow:

Germany does not collect personal data based on ethnicity. The Sinti and the Roma are two different categories who have the official status of national minorities. Germany ratified both the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

There are different forms of Romani since this language does not exist in a written and codified form. Many Sinti do not wish to reveal their language to the public and, as a consequence, the majority population does not have access to the Romani language. It is thus not possible to be trained as a teacher in Romani.

In Germany, the Roma at school are very hesitant to openly address specific language and education issues, or their identity as Sinti or Roma. This is one of the reasons why Roma children do not attend school regularly.

Germany has established two main projects regarding the Roma population. On the one hand, the Kiel mediators project is aimed at resolving the problems that Sinti and Roma encounter at school. The team of this project is composed of three mediators and one assistant social worker. It should be noted that a growing number of schools in Kiel participate in the project. On the other hand, the Berlin research project is aimed at understanding the reasons for frequent absenteeism of Roma children and at assisting these children.

Mrs Kyriakaki (Greece) described the model of socio-medical centres which employ Roma mediators and emphasized the locally-based approach.

Greece definitely had to tackle the issue of the situation of Roma in camps and of their precarious living conditions, this is the reason why it created socio-medical centres in 2002, which were eventually encompassed within the National Action Plan (NAP) for Roma inclusion in Greece. The programme operates through national and EU (ESF) funding and provides Roma with mediation services. Today, there are 33 centres on a local scale which are managed by local public authorities. Having a multi-fold functioning, not only do they enable the integration of the Roma population into society through supportive and counselling services, but they also facilitate full access to basic social services, such as education, housing, employment and health, as well as access to basic documentation. They also have a monitoring and evaluation function of the interventions held at the local level: they make proposals based on the diagnosis of a particular situation and encourage local authorities to act. The staff of the centres is composed of Roma mediators, psychologists, doctors, social assistants and educational staff who are well aware of the situation of the Roma whether living in camps or not, thus able to tackle effectively their problems. In a nutshell, they constitute an intermediary social structure between the State and the Roma, thus promoting social inclusion, access to public services, and co-operation with NGOs, local authorities and governmental institutions.

Mr. Koka (Serbia), following a general introduction to the Roma policy and structures in place in Serbia, provided information about the institutionalisation of Roma health mediators and pedagogical assistants, including quantitative results of their work.

In 2009-2010, Serbia has set up a strategic and institutional framework for the improvement of the status of Roma. Serbia’s strategy and action plan is related to various domains where efforts are needed to improve the status of Roma, such as education, housing, employment, health, social care etc. The documents were adopted by the government and by 30 local authorities. Serbia is careful to protect the status of the Roma community. Indeed, it is regulated by laws such as the Law on the Protection of the Rights and Freedoms of National Minorities, and the Law Against Discrimination. Furthermore, Serbia is one of the founding members of the Decade of Roma inclusion.

Health mediators work very effectively; and today, 75 Roma mediators are employed in 59 self-governments. They deal with identity papers and health insurance cards, immunization, and with medical care in general.

Pedagogical assistants were also recruited and trained in the area of education. They provide help to children who need additional support, cooperate with the parents, and provide support to teachers.

In the area of employment, Roma mediators cooperate with the Ministry of Economy and Regional Development of Serbia.

These presentations were followed by a series of questions and answers related to the criteria for recruiting mediators (in particular the level of education of mediators, the gender aspect, their experience working with Roma communities and their capacity to speak the Romani language), as well as to the reaction from the majority population towards the practice of mediators.

Thematic exchange of experience on employment policies

The Committee took note of the information provided by Mr Martin Martinek (Czech Republic), Mr. Valentin Mocanu (Romania) and Mrs Maria Dolores Ruiz Bautista (Spain) about their respective models for mediators.

In 2010, 80,000 Roma people out of 180,000 suffered from social exclusion, and 40,000 were jobless in the Czech Republic. The main issues regarding the situation of Roma in the labour market is their low level of education and skills, their high participation rate in the grey economy, and the geographical segregation they are victim of. Lack of motivation is also a major issue as the social benefits they are provided with are often equal to the minimal wage. A majority of Roma are low skilled workers. The Roma also face indirect discrimination from employers who do no trust them. According to a study realized by the World Bank in 2009, 56% of the Roma do not participate in the labour market. Regarding low education levels, many Roma only completed their primary education, and nearly half of them are illiterate. The Roma generally have access only to uncertain and unprofitable jobs, with a low income.

Roma youth enter the labour market prematurely. To tackle this issue, programmes of early prevention of unemployment have been set up in the Czech Republic. Few Roma women work due to cultural factors and to a lack of opportunities.

In order to resolve the situation of Roma in the labour market, an annual reporting system was created. Furthermore, the Czech Republic adopted a national action plan for social inclusion, which is supported by Labour Offices and specific social programmes. They are implemented by NGOs and financed by the European Union and by the state budget.

In Romania, regional disparities and poverty have to be taken into account when discussing the social and cultural dimensions of employment. The educational dimension is also a major issue when dealing with employment. The underground economy is quite important, especially with regard to the Roma population. The latter is a victim of this market.

The National Agency for Roma People plays an important part in improving the employment policies towards Roma. The Agency cooperates at a national and regional level. Its activities are varied; it offers better employment services, professional training, awareness-raising and anti-discrimination campaigns.

In Romania, only 22,9% of Roma are active in the labour market. Roma are often provided with social assistance, which is very low, and new social policies are necessary to ensure better motivation to be hired and to work.

There should be a revision of the national framework of classification of professions so as to include, for instance, traditional handcrafts into policies. These policies will help to fight Roma exclusion.

There are between 600,000 and 800,000 Roma in Spain, called Gitanos or “Gypsies”. According to the last study in the subject (“Población gitana y empleo: un estudio comparado” FSG, Madrid 2005), the employment rate of the Roma population is similar to that of the majority. However, it is to be noted that the former are disadvantaged. The Roma have much less access to paid jobs than the majority population. They have more part-time jobs and they are often independent workers, (almost half the total number of employed Roma). In addition, it should be noted that 25% of the employed Roma population declare their occupation to be “collaboration in the family economic activity”. Selling on street markets is still the most widespread form of self-employment, but this does not ensure sufficient income to live on, does not maintain medium-term business continuity and does not contribute to the social security system on a regular basis. This leads to difficulties upon retirement, as the Roma concerned are only entitled to receive social benefits instead of the higher state contributive pension. All of these factors render the insertion process vulnerable. A new report on the employment situation of the Roma in Spain will probably be published by the end of 2011.

As Spain is a decentralised State, the regions and the local authorities have competences in the areas of health, employment, and education. The Roma Development Programme acts as a financial framework dealing with co-operation with the regions and with Roma NGOs, and is placed under the authority of the Ministry of Health, Social Policy and Equality. There is also an annual call for grants for NGOs which is funded by the 0.7 % personal income tax (IRPF) rate. Spain is also developing a multi-regional programme aimed at fighting against discrimination, which is managed, among others, by the NGO Fundación Secretariado Gitano, and within which the Acceder Programme, aimed mainly at fostering Roma employment, is included.

The State Council for Roma Communities was created in 2005; its aim is to give an institutional form to the interaction between the national administration and Roma and pro-Roma associations regarding social welfare policies and other policies that may affect the Roma.

The presentations were followed by a lively debate. The speakers were inter alia requested to provide additional information on the use of Roma mediators in improving access to employment.

The Chair gave the floor to Mrs. Louiza Kyriakaki (Greece) who briefly presented the final version of the implementation report of CM Recommendation (2011)17 on improving the economic and employment situation of Roma/Gypsies and Travellers in Europe (document CAHROM(2011)17) that she had prepared in her capacity of Chair of the Committee of Experts on Roma and Travellers (MG-S-ROM). Mrs. Kyriakaki explains that this report provides examples of sustainable practices in Member States implementing Recommendation (2001)17, i.e. legislative provisions or state practice that shows either strategic, complex approaches by the state, or even ad hoc examples of projects for combating discrimination on the grounds of economic empowerment, that is after all the main message delivered by the Recommendation itself.

The Committee took note of this report and agreed to make it public so that it can be used, inter alia, to feed the forthcoming database on policies and good practices to be set up by the Council of Europe.

Opinion on PACE Recommendation 1941 (2010) on Roma asylum seekers in Europe

The report by PACE Rapporteur Mr. Milorad Pupovac, Recommendation 1941 (2010) and Resolution 1768 (2010) were introduced by Mrs Isild Heurtin from the Secretariat of the PACE Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population.

The Secretariat introduced a draft Opinion based on comments submitted by member states, international organisations, MG-S-ROM previous opinions, and conclusions of relevant international or regional conferences.

The Committee adopted an Opinion on PACE Recommendation 1941 (2010) on Roma asylum seekers in Europe (see Appendix 3).

Topical issues, recent developments and upcoming events

The Committee took note of the information provided by Mrs Rita Izsák, Hungarian EU Council Presidency, on the elaboration of an EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies.

The CAHROM welcomed the plans of the Hungarian EU Presidency and encouraged the Presidency and the European Union member states to ensure that the relevant EU Council conclusions to be adopted before the summer will duly reflect the relevance of the standards and activities of the Council of Europe on Roma issues, refer to the CoE High Level Meeting on Roma of 20 October 2010 and the Strasbourg Declaration adopted on that occasion, and highlight the importance of cooperation between international organisations and the avoidance of duplication of activities, in supporting member states' efforts to enhance the social integration of Roma.

The Committee took note of information provided by the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), in particular concerning the forthcoming ECRI General Policy Recommendation on Anti-Gypsyism. An exchange of views between ECRI and CAHROM could be envisaged, notably on the issue of good practices.

The Committee took note of a statement by Mr John Warmisham, Rapporteur for Roma Issues at the Congress for Local and Regional Authorities.

Arrangements for the next meeting and adoption of the list of decisions

The Committee took note of the invitation of the Turkish authorities to hold the 2nd CAHROM meeting, in Istanbul. The meeting could take place at the end of October or early November 2011 (exact dates will be fixed at a later stage).[2]

The Committee adopted a list of decisions [document CAHROM(2011)10].

Appendix 1

Agenda

Opening of the 1st CAHROM meeting

I. Adoption of the agenda

II. Election of the Bureau

III. Follow-up of the High Level Meeting on Roma: recent developments at the level of the Council of Europe

IV. Role, working methods and priorities of the CAHROM

VI. Thematic exchange of experience on (Roma) mediators

VII. Thematic exchange of experience on employment policies

VIII. Opinion on PACE Recommendation 1941 (2010) on Roma Asylum Seekers in Europe

IX. Topical issues, recent developments and upcoming events

1. Current developments at the EU level related to Roma

2. Topical issues, other recent developments and upcoming events

X. Arrangements for the next meeting and adoption of the list of decisions

Appendix 2

1st Meeting of the Ad hoc Committee of Experts on Roma Issues

1ère réunion du Comité ad hoc d’Experts sur les questions roms

(CAHROM)

Strasbourg, 30-31 March 2011 /

Strasbourg, 30-31 mars 2011

_______________________________________

FINAL LIST OF PARTICIPANTS / LISTE FINALE DES PARTICIPANTS

Chair/Président:Mrs. Mabera KAMBERI (« the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia »)

1st Vice-Chair/1er Vice-président: Mr. Ian NAYSMITH (United Kingdom)

3rd Bureau member/3e membre du bureau: Mr. Nicolae RADIŢA (Republic of Moldova)

MEMBER STATES / ETATS MEMBRES

ALBANIA/ALBANIE

Ms. Blerina Zoto TEPELENA

Technical Secretariat of Roma

Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunity

Rruga e Kavasës, AL-Tirana

Tel : +355 682082142; Fax: +355 4223 0719

E-mail : [email protected]

Web : http://www.shssh.gov.al

ANDORRA/ANDORRE

ARMENIA/ARMENIE

AUSTRIA/AUTRICHE

Mrs. Christa ACHLEITNER

Federal Chancellery

Department for National Minority Affairs

Ballhausplatz 2

A-1010 VIENNA

Tel: +43(1)531152465; Fax: +43(1)531152158

E-mail: [email protected]

AZERBAIJAN/AZERBAIDJAN

BELGIUM/BELGIQUE

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA/BOSNIE-HERZÉGOVINE

Mr. Samir ŠLAKU

Expert Advisor

Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Trg BiH No. 1, 33000 Sarajevo

Tel: +387 (33) 206 655

E-mail: [email protected]

BULGARIA/BULGARIE

Ms. Elitsa Valentinova SLAVCHEVA

Chief Expert, European Affairs and International Cooperation Directorate

Ministry of Labour and Social Policy

2, Triaditza Str., BG - 1051 Sofia

Tel.: +359 2 987 3866; Fax: +359 2 9815376

E-mail: eliza@mlsp.government.bg

Web: www.mlsp.government.bg

CROATIA/CROATIE

Mr. Branko SOČANAC

Head of the Office for National Minorities of the Government of the Republic of Croatia

Mesnička 23, HR-10000 Zagreb

Tel.: +385 1 45 69 358 ; Fax: +385 1 45 69 324

E-mail: [email protected]

CYPRUS/CHYPRE

CZECH REPUBLIC/REPUBLIQUE TCHEQUE

Mr Martin MARTINEK

Human Rights and Minorities

nábř. Edvarda Beneše 4, CZ-118 01 Praha 1

Tel: +420 224 00 2035; Fax: +420 224002033

E-mail: [email protected]

DENMARK/DANEMARK

ESTONIA/ESTONIE

Ms. Sirli TOOMING

Senior Specialist of Estonian Ministry of Culture

Department of Cultural Diversity

Estonian Ministry of Culture

23 Suur-Karja Street, EE-15076 Tallinn

Phone: +372 628 2261 +372 628 2261; Fax: +372 628 2325

E-mail: [email protected]

FINLAND/FINLANDE

Mrs. Hannele SYRJÄ

Senior Officer- Advisory Board on Romani Affairs

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health

P.O.Box 33, FI-00023 Government

Tel: +358 (0)9 160 74308

Fax: +358 (0)50 553 5530

E-mail : [email protected]

Mrs Kaija ILANDER

Ambassador

Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland

Merikasarmi, PO Box 176,

00023 Government, Finland

E-mail: [email protected]

FRANCE

M Pierre HERISSON
Sénateur de Haute Savoie

President de la Commission nationale consultative des Gens du voyage

Permanence parlementaire

7 avenue du Parmelan

74000 Annecy

Tél. : + 33 (0)6 07 16 20 70
E-mail: [email protected]

M. Florian LIETOUT

Ajoint au Représentant Permanent de la France

Représentation de la France auprès du Conseil de l’Europe

E-mail: [email protected]

Mlle Constance TARNEAUD

Assistante du Sénateur Hérisson

GEORGIA/GĒORGIE

Ms Tamar BASILIA

Head of Department of the International Relations

Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories,

Accommodation and Refugees of Georgia

15a, Avenue Tamarashvili

0177 Tbilissi

Tel: ++995 95 11 33 88, Fax: +995 95 31 15 91

E-mail : [email protected]

GERMANY/ALLEMAGNE

Mr. Detlev REIN

Federal Ministry of Interior of the Federal Republic of Germany

Division M II 4 - Nationale Minderheiten in Deutschland; Europäische

Minderheitenpolitik; Belange anderer Sprachgruppen in Deutschland

Graurheindorfer Straße 198

53117 Bonn

Tel.: +49 22899 681 3766

Fax: +49 22899 681 53766

E-mail: [email protected]

GREECE/GRÈCE

Ms. Louiza KYRIAKAKI

Senior Office A ‘

Ministry of Interior, Decentralisation & E-Government

Directorate of Development Programs & International Organisations
Department of Development Programs, Office 710

27, Stadiou av., P.O. 101 83 Athens

Tel.: +30 210 37 44 726 ; Fax: +30 210 37 44 713

E-mail: l.kyriakaki@ypes.gr

Web: www.ypes.gr

HUNGARY/HONGRIE

Mrs Rita IZSÁK

Chief of staff

State Secretariat for Social Inclusion

Ministry of Public Administration and Justice

Kossuth tér 11.

1055 Budapest

Tel.: +3617955862

Fax: +3617950598

E-mail: [email protected]

ICELAND/IRELAND

IRELAND/IRLANDE

Mr Shane LAWLOR
Deputy to the Permanent Representative

Permanent Representation of Ireland to the Council of Europe

E-mail: [email protected]

ITALY/ITALIE

Mr. Pietro VULPIANI
UNAR - Ufficio nazionale antidiscriminazioni razziali

Dipartimento per i diritti e le pari opportunità

Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri
Largo Chigi 19, I-00187 Roma
Tel +39 06 67792302; Fax +39 06 67792272; Cell +39 349 8367351

E-mail: [email protected]

Prof. Domenico MORELLI

Dipartimento per le libertà civili e l’immigrazione – Direzione centrale per i diritti civili, la cittadinanza e le minoranze – Area IV Minoranze storiche e nuove minoranze

Ministero dell’Interno – Via Cesare Balbo 39 – 00184 ROMA

Tel. 06.465.37.230

Fax 06.46.54.95.28

E-mail: [email protected]t

LATVIA/LETTONIE

Mr. Deniss KRETALOVS

Ministry of Culture

of the Republic of Latvia

Senior Desk Officer of the

Division for Society Integration and Development of Civil Society

Kr. Valdemara street 11 a

LV-1364 Riga

Tel: +371 67330312

E-mail: [email protected]

LIECHTENSTEIN

LITHUANIA/LITUANIE

Ms. Anastasija ISMAILOVA

Chief officer

National Minority Affairs Division

Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania

Tel. +370 5 219 34 78

E-mail: [email protected]

LUXEMBOURG

Madame Laure AMOYEL

Experte en matière d'anti-discrimination

l'Office luxembourgeois de l'accueil et de l'intégration

OLAI, 7-9, avenue Victor Hugo

L-1750 Luxembourg

Tél: +352 2478 5724, Fax: +352 247 85720

E-mail: [email protected]

MALTA/MALTE

MOLDOVA

Mr. Nicolae RADITA

Chairman

NGO Roma National Center

109/1 Alexei Mateeevici str., ap. 306

Chisinau

Tel: +373 22 227099, 244667

E-mail: [email protected]

MONACO

MONTENEGRO

Ms. Aleksandra ZLOKOVIC

Adviser

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Montenegro

Stanka Dragojevica 2

81000 Podgorica, Montenegro

tel. +382 20 246 443

fax. +382 20 225 702

E-mail. [email protected]

NETHERLANDS/PAYS-BAS

Ms Claudia PIETERSE
Deputy to the Permanent Representative

Permanent Representation of The Netherlands to the Council of Europe

E-mail: [email protected]

NORWAY/NORVÈGE

Mrs. Tove SKOTVEDT

Senior Advisor, Department of Sámi and Minority Affairs

Ministry of Government Administration, Reform and Church Affairs

Akersgt. 59, Oslo

P.O. Box 8004, N-0030 Oslo

Tel. : +47 22 24 69 56 ; Fax : + 47 22 24 95 38

E-mail : [email protected]

POLAND/POLOGNE

Ms. Małgorzata RÓŻYCKA

Main Specialist

Ministry of the Interior and Administration

Department for Denominations and National and Ethnic Minorities

National and Ethnic Minorities Division

5 Stefan Batory Str.

PL02-591 Warsaw

Poland

tel. +48 (0)22 60 144 22

E-mail: [email protected]

PORTUGAL

ROMANIA/ROUMANIE

Mr. Valentin MOCANU

Secretary of State

Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Protection

2 B Dem. I. Dobrescu Street,

Sector 1, Bucharest, Romania

Tel: +40 21.319.25.84 Fax: +40 21 311 05 80

E-mail: [email protected]

Mr Stelian STOIAN

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Permanent Representative of Romania to the Council of Europe

Permanent Representation of Romania to the Council of Europe

E-mail: [email protected]

Mrs Mihaela MARIN

Deputy to the Permanent Representative of Romania to the Council of Europe

Permanent Representation of Romania to the Council of Europe

E-mail: [email protected]

RUSSIAN FEDERATION/FÉDÉRATION DE RUSSIE

Mr. Sergey TOLKALIN

Deputy Director

Department for Humanitarian Cooperation and Human Rights

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

32/34 Smolenskaya-Sennaya sq., Moscow, 119 200

Tel.: +7 499 244 30 31/244 30 25 ; Fax: +7 499 244 30 45

E-mail : dgpch@mid.ru ; [email protected]

SAN MARINO/SAINT-MARIN

SERBIA/SERBIE

Mr. Ljuan KOKA

Head of the Office for the Implementation of the Strategy for Improvement of Status of Roma

Ministry of Human and Minority Rights

Bulevar Mihajla Pupina 2, 11000 Belgrade

Tel: + 381 11 311 7374; +381 11 213 2551

E-mail : [email protected] / [email protected]

SLOVAK REPUBLIC/REPUBLIQUE SLOVAQUE

Mr. Ján HERO

Member of the Board

Through the Children to the Family - NGO

Dolná 48/19, 967 01 Kremnica

Tel.: +421 915 988443; 421-45-6743082

E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Ms. Soňa DANOVÁ

Deputy to the Permanent Representative

Permanent Representation of the Slovak Republic to the Council of Europe

1, rue Ehrmann - 67000 Strasbourg
Tel. 03 88 36 57 17 - Fax 03 88 36 54 44
E-mail: [email protected]

SLOVENIA/SLOVÉNIE

Mr. Stanko BALUH

Director

Office for national minorities

Government of the Republic of Slovenia
Erjavčeva 15, 1000 Ljubljana
tel: +386 1 478 13 65
fax: +386 1 478 13 66
E-mail: [email protected]

Ms. Eva TOMIČ

Head of Human Rights Department

Ministry of Foreign Affaires of the Republic of Slovenia
Prešernova 25, 1000 Ljubljana
tel: + 386 1 478 2037
fax: + 386 1 478 22 49
E-mail: [email protected]

SPAIN/ESPAGNE

Mrs. Maria Dolores RUIZ BAUTISTA

Deputy Director for Social Programs

General Directorate for Social Policy, Families and Childhood.

Ministry for Health, Social Policy and Equality

Tel: +34 91 822 65 70 , Fax: +34 91 363 72 78

Paseo de la Castellana 67, 28071 Madrid

Office: B 627, B 629

E-mail: [email protected]

Mme Rocio ARINO SERRANO

Chef des Programmes

Sous-direction des Programmes Sociales

DG de la Politique Sociales, les Families et l’Enfance

Po de la Castellana, 67, 6eme etage, Bureau B-633

28071 Madrid

Tel: +34 918226592

E-mail: [email protected]

SWEDEN/SUÈDE

Ms. Fredrike TAMAS-HERMELIN

Deputy to the Permanent Representative

Permanent Representation of Sweden to the Council of Europe

E-mail: [email protected]

SWITZERLAND/SUISSE

Mme Anne MOULIN
Programme Manager Kosovo
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC
Western Balkan Division
Freiburgstrasse 130
CH-3003 Bern - Switzerland
Phone: ++41-(0)31 322 44 24
Fax: ++41-(0)31 323 59 33
E-mail: [email protected]

Web: www.deza.admin.ch

Mme Beatrice SCHAER

Adjointe au Représentant Permanent

Représentation Permanente de la Suisse auprès du Conseil de l’Europe

23 rue Herder

67083 Strasbourg Cedex

Tel: 0388350072

E-mail: [email protected]

«THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA»/

«L’EX-RÉPUBLIQUE YOUGOSLAVE DE MACÉDOINE»

Mrs. Mabera KAMBERI

Head of the Sector for Coordination and Technical Assistance

Ministry of Labour and Social Policy

Ul Dame Gruev No. 14, MK- 1000 Skopje

Tel.: +389 2 3 106 224; Mobile: +389 75 367 632;

Fax: +389 2 311 0251

E-mail: [email protected]

Web : www.mtsp.gov.mk

TURKEY/TURQUIE

Ms. Hande YALNIZOĞLU

Adviser to Ms. Nursuna Memecan, Member of the Parliament

Meşrutiyet Cad. Güneş Han No: 19 Beyoğlu / İstanbul

Tel. :+90 532-617-4656

E-mail: [email protected]

Mr. Osman ŞAHIN

Chief of Section

Ministry of Culture and Tourism

Ismet Inönü Bulvari, No:5,

06100 Emek, Ankara

Tel : +90 312 212 83 00 / 2009 Fax : +90 312 212 37 88

E-mail : [email protected]

Mr. Cem EMRE

Ministry of Culture and Tourism

Department of International Relations and EU Coordination

İsmet İnönü Bulvarı. No:5

06100 Emek, Ankara.

Tel: +90-312 212 83 00/2040; Mobile: +90532 456 06 34

Fax: +90-312 212 37 88

E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]

Mr. Umut AKSUNGUR

Expert

Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey

Tel : +90 312 212 83 00 / 3004

E-mail : [email protected]

UKRAINE

Mr. Petro Grygorichenko

All Ukraine NGO “Congress of Roma of Ukraine”

9-b str. Mala Zhytomyrska

UA-Kiev 01001

Tel./Fax : +38 (044) 228 87 11

E-mail : [email protected].ua ; [email protected] ; [email protected]

Mr Serhii SHEVCHUK
Deputy to the Permanent Representative

Permanent Representation of Ukraine to the Council of Europe

E-mail: [email protected]

UNITED KINGDOM/ROYAUME UNI

Mr. Ian NAYSMITH

Race Equality and Diversity Division
Department for Communities and Local Government
Eland House (5/A1)
Bressenden Place
London SW1E 5DU

Tel: + 44 (0)303 444 2063
Fax: +44 (0)20 7944 2460

E-mail : [email protected]

****

COUNCIL OF EUROPE COMMITTEES AND BODIES/ COMITES ET ORGANES DU CONSEIL DE L’EUROPE

F-67075 Strasbourg cedex, France

Tel. (switchboard/standard): +33 (0)3 88 41 20 00 Web: www.coe.int

Special Representative of the Secretary General for Roma issues /

Représentant Spécial du Secrétaire Général pour les questions relatives aux Roms

Mr Jeroen SCHOKKENBROEK

Special Representative of the Secretary General

for Roma issues/ Représentant Spécial du Secrétaire Général

pour les questions relatives aux Roms

Council of Europe, F – 67075 Strasbourg Cedex

Tel.: + 33 3 88 41 22 79

E-mail: [email protected]

Support Team of the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Roma issues /

Equipe d'appui au Représentant Spécial du Secrétaire Général pour les questions relatives aux Roms

Website: http://www.coe.int/romatravellers

Fax: +33 (0)3 88 41 27 31

Mr Sixto MOLINA

Head of the Support Team of the Special Representative

of the Secretary General for Roma issues

Tel.: +33 3 88 41 35 92

E-mail. [email protected]

Mr Henry SCICLUNA

Advisor

Support Team of the Special Representative of the Secretary General

for Roma issues

Tel.: +33 3 88 41 21 71

E-mail. [email protected]

Mrs Eleni TSETSEKOU

Administrator

Support Team of the Special Representative of the Secretary General

for Roma issues

Council of Europe, F – 67075 Strasbourg Cedex

Tel.: + 33 3 88 41 24 33

E-mail: [email protected]

Mrs Aurora AILINCAI

Administrator

Support Team of the Special Representative of the Secretary General

for Roma issues / DG4 Directorate of Education

Council of Europe, F – 67075 Strasbourg Cedex

Tel.: + 33 3 90 21 53 31

E-mail: [email protected]

Mme Corinne GOBERVILLE

Assistante du Représentant Spécial du Secrétaire Général

pour les questions relatives aux Roms

Council of Europe, F – 67075 Strasbourg Cedex

Tel.: +33 (0)3 88 41 38 34, Fax: +33 3 90 21 40 53

E-mail: [email protected]

Ms Anna ROZANOVA

Stagiaire

European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) / Comité européen des droits sociaux (CEDS)

Website : http://www.coe.int/T/DGHL/Monitoring/SocialCharter/

European Committee for Social Cohesion (CDCS) / Comité européen pour la cohésion sociale (CDCS)

Website : http://www.coe.int/t/dg3/socialpolicies/

Mme Annachiara CERRI

Secrétaire du CDCS

Steering Committee for Education (CDED) / Comité directeur de l’éducation (CDED)

Website: http://www.coe.int/T/E/Cultural_Co-operation/education/

Mr. Villano QIRIAZI

Committee of Experts on Issues relating to the Protection of National Minorities (DH-MIN) /

Comité d’experts sur les questions relatives à la protection des minorités nationales (DH-MIN)

Website : http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/monitoring/minorities/5_IntergovWork/DH-MIN_Intro_en.asp

Mr. Bjorn Olav MEGARD

Deputy Director General

Department of Sami and Minority Affairs

Ministry of Government Administration, Reform and Church Affairs

Tel: +47 22 24 70 31

Mob: +47 416 12 143

E-mail: [email protected]

Advisory Committee of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM) /

Comité consultatif de la Convention-cadre pour la protection des minorités nationales

Website : http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/monitoring/minorities/default_en.asp

Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages /

Comité d’experts de la Charte européenne des langues régionales ou minoritaires

Website : http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/education/minlang/Default_en.asp

Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe/ l’Assemblée parlementaire du Conseil de l’Europe

Website : http://assembly.coe.int/default.asp

Mrs Isild HEURTIN

Secretariat of the PACE Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population

Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe /

Congrès des Pouvoirs locaux et régionaux du Conseil de l’Europe

Website: http://www.coe.int/T/Congress/Default_en.asp

Mr. John WARMISHAM

Rapporteur on Roma and Travellers related issues

Committee on Social Cohesion

Councillor, Salford City Council
2/7 Bramletmeade, Northumberland street
M7 4PE-Salford, United Kingdom
Tel. +44 161 793 3059
E-mail: [email protected]

Ms Joanne HUNTING

Co- Secretary to the Current Affairs Committee

Congress of Local and Regional Authorities

of the Council of Europe

F - 67075 STRASBOURG

Tel: +33 3 88 41 31 61

Fax: +33 3 88 41 27 51/37 47

E-mail: [email protected]

Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights /

Le Commissaire aux Droits de l’Homme du Conseil de l’Europe

Website : http://www.coe.int/t/commissioner/default_en.asp

Ms Erliha BIČAKČIĆ
Adviser/Conseiller
Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights /
Bureau du Commissaire aux droits de l'homme
Council of Europe / Conseil de l'Europe
F - 67075 Strasbourg Cedex
Tel: +33 (0)3 90 21 5907
Fax: +33 (0)3 90 21 5053
E-mail: [email protected]

European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) /

La Commission européenne contre le racisme et l’intolérance (ECRI)

Website : http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/monitoring/ecri/default_en.asp

Mr Stefanos STAVROS

Executive Secretary of the ECRI

Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) /

Banque de Développement du Conseil de l’Europe

Website : www.coebank.org

Ms. Lucia ATHENOSY

Economist, Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB)

Central Directorate for Legal Affairs and Prospective Analysis

55 avenue Kléber, F-75116 Paris

Tel : +33 (0)1.47.55.55.27

Fax +33 (0)1.47.55.71.55

E-mail : [email protected]

Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe / La Conférence des OING du Conseil de l’Europe

Website : http://www.coe.int/T/NGO/default_en.asp

STATES WITH AN OBSERVER STATUS / ETATS AYANT UN STATUT D’OBSERVATEUR

CANADA

HOLY SEE/SAINT-SIEGE

Rev. Do P. Gabriele F. BENTOGLIO

Sous-Secrétaire

Conseil Pontifical de la Pastorale pour les Migrants et les Itinérants

Via Calandrelli 11

I-00153 Roma

Tel : +39 (06) 69 88 73 95

E-mail: [email protected]

Mgr Aldo GIORDANO

Envoyé spécial du Saint-Siège
Observateur Permanent

Mission Permanente du Saint-Siège auprès du Conseil de l’Europe
2, rue Le Nôtre – F-67000 Strasbourg, France

JAPAN/JAPON

MEXICO/MEXIQUE

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA/ETATS-UNIS D’AMERIQUE

EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS / INSTITUTIONS DE l’UNION EUROPEENNE

EU Delegation to the Council of Europe /

Délégation de l’Union européenne auprès du Conseil de l’Europe

Ms Luisella PAVAN-WOOLFE

Ambassadeur – Chef de la Délégation de l’Union européenne auprès du Conseil de l’Europe

Délégation de l’Union Européenne

18 boulevard de l’Orangerie

67000 Strasbourg

Tel.: +33 3 90 40 60 80

E-mail : [email protected]

Mr Antonino LA PIANA

Délégation de l’Union Européenne

Adjoint au Chef de la Délégation

18 boulevard de l’Orangerie

67000 Strasbourg

Tel.: +33 3 90 40 60 80

E-mail: [email protected]

INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS / ORGANISATIONS INTERNATIONALES

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION (IOM) /

ORGANISATION INTERNATIONALE POUR LES MIGRATIONS (OIM)
17, Route des Morillons, CH-1211 Geneva 19, Switzerland

Mr. Igor CVETKOVSKI

Resource Management Officer (RHAP)

Reparation Programmes

Tel: +41 22 717 9111; Fax: +41 22 798 6150

E-mail: [email protected]

OSCE OFFICE FOR DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS AND HUMAN RIGHTS (ODIHR)/

CONTACT POINT FOR ROMA AND SINTI ISSUES (CPRSI) /

BUREAU DE l’OSCE POUR LES INSTITUTIONS DEMOCRATIQUES ET LES DROITS DE L’HOMME (BIDDH)/ POINT DE CONTACT POUR

LES QUESTIONS ROMS ET SINTI

Mr. Andrzej MIRGA

Senior Adviser on Roma and Sinti Issues

19 Ujazdowskie Avenue

PL - 00-557 Warsaw, Poland

Tel : +48 22 520 06 00 x 1143; Fax: +48 22 520 06 05; Mob: +48 695 808 825

E-mail : [email protected]

PROGRAMME DES NATIONS UNIES POUR LE DEVELOPPEMENT (PNUD)

Regional Support Centre Europe and the CIS

Grösslingova 35, SK - 81109 Bratislava

Mr. Daniel SKOBLA

CST Poverty and Social Inclusion Officer
UNDP, Europe and the CIS
Bratislava Regional Centre
Grosslingova 35, 81109 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Tel: +421 2 59337 221; Fax: +421 2 59337 450
E-mail: [email protected]

UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR) /

HAUT COMMISSARIAT DES NATIONS UNIES POUR LES RÉFUGIÉS (HCR)

Mr Olivier Guillaume BEER

Representative

UNHCR Representation to the European Institutions in Strasbourg

Agora Building B 06.07.V, F-67075 Strasbourg

France

Tel: +33 388 412869

E-mail : [email protected]

Mr Jean-Etienne KAUTZMANN

Legal Associate

UNHCR Representation to the European Institutions in Strasbourg

Agora Building B 06.07.V, F-67075 Strasbourg

France

Tel: +33.3.88.41.20.96

E-mail : [email protected]

UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (OHCHR)/ HAUT-COMMISSARIAT DES NATIONS UNIES AUX DROITS DE L’HOMME (HCDH)

UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANISATION (UNESCO)/ ORGANISATION DES NATIONS UNIES POUR L’EDUCATION, LA SCIENCE ET LA CULTURE (UNESCO)

UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN’S FUND (UNICEF)/ FONDS DES NATIONS UNIES POUR L’ENFANCE (UNICEF)

Ms Elena GAIA
Policy Analysis Specialist - Economic and Social Policy
UNICEF Regional Office for CEE/CIS
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Phone: +41229095525
Fax: +41229095909
E-mail: [email protected]

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATION (ILO)/ORGANISATION INTERNATIONALE DU TRAVAIL (OIT)

WORLD BANK / BANQUE MONDIALE

EUROPEAN TRADE UNION CONFEDERATION (ETUC)/ LA CONFEDERATION EUROPEENNE DES SYNDICATS (CES)

INTERNATIONAL NGOs / ONG INTERNATIONALES

EUROPEAN ROMA AND TRAVELLERS FORUM (ERTF) /

FORUM EUROPEEN DES ROMS ET DES GENS DU VOYAGE (FERV) /

EVROPAKO FORUMO E ROMENGO THAJ E PHIRUTNENGO (EFRP)

c/o Council of Europe
DG III – Social Cohesion
Tel: + 33 (0)3 90 21 53 50 / 43 31; Fax: + 33 (0)3 90 21 56 58

E-mail : [email protected] or [email protected]

M. Fernand DELAGE

European Roma and Travellers Forum

France Liberté Voyage

1 rue Sentier

86180 Duxurolles

Tél : +33 631 452 492

E-mail: [email protected]

EUROPEAN ROMA INFORMATION OFFICE (ERIO)/ BUREAU EUROPEEN D’INFORMATION SUR LES ROMS

EUROPEAN ROMA RIGHTS CENTER (ERRC)/ CENTRE EUROPEEN POUR LES DROITS DES ROMS (CEDR)

Mr. Isabela MIHALACHE

Executive Director

European Roma Rights Centre

Address: Naphegy ter 8,

H-1016 Budapest, Hungary

Tel: (36-1) 413-2200; Fax: (36-1) 413-2201

Web: www.errc.org

E-mail: [email protected]

OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTE (OSI)

Mr Zeljko JOVANOVIC

Director of Roma Initiatives for the foundation network

Oktober 6. u. 12

H-1051 Budapest, Hungary

Tel: +36 1 327 3858

E-mail: [email protected]

PROJECT ON ETHNIC RELATIONS (PER)/ PROJET SUR LES RELATIONS ETHNIQUES

DECADE OF ROMA INCLUSION SECRETARIAT /

SECRETARIAT DE LA DECENNIE POUR L’INTEGRATION DES ROMS

FORUM OF EUROPEAN ROMA YOUNG PEOPLE (FERYP)/ FORUM DES JEUNES ROMS EUROPÉENS

Mr. Demetrio GOMEZ AVILA

FERYP member

ROMA EDUCATION FUND (REF)/ FONDS POUR L’EDUCATION DES ROMS

Mr. Costel BERCUS

Chairman of the Board

REF Office in Budapest
Terez krt. 46, Mark Center
H-1066 Budapest
Hungary

Phone: +36-1-235-8030
E-mail: [email protected]

Web: www.romaeducationfund.org

INTERNATIONAL STEP BY STEP ASSOCIATION (ISSA)

CAHROM’S SECRETERIAT / SECRÉTARIAT DU CAHROM

Mr Michael GUET

Secretary of the CAHROM

Support Team of the Special Representative of the Secretary General

for Roma issues

Council of Europe, F – 67075 Strasbourg Cedex

Tel.: + 33 3 90 21 49 63

E-mail: [email protected]

Mrs. Ljiljana STOJISAVLJEVIC

Assistant to the Secretary of the CAHROM

Support Team of the Special Representative of the Secretary General

for Roma issues

Council of Europe, F – 67075 Strasbourg Cedex

Tel.: +33 (0)3 88 41 33 73, Fax: +33 3 90 21 40 53

E-mail: [email protected]

INTERPRETERS/INTERPRETES

English / French:

Gillian BEETON-WAKENHUT

Nicolas GUITTONNEAU

Nadine KIEFFER

English / French / Romani:

Ms Sarita JASEROVA

E-mail: [email protected]

Ms Diana KIRILOVA

E-mail: [email protected]

Appendix 3

AD HOC COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS ON ROMA ISSUES

(CAHROM)

__________

Final Opinion by

the Ad hoc Committee of Experts on Roma Issues (CAHROM)

on Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1941 (2010) on Roma Asylum Seekers in Europe [and PACE related Resolution 1768 (2010)]

__________

The CAHROM takes note of the Parliamentary Assembly’s Recommendation 1941 (2010) on Roma Asylum Seekers in Europe.

The CAHROM notes the concerns expressed by the Parliamentary Assembly about situations “where Roma are the target of racist violence, which is a factor that forces many Roma to flee their home country and seek protection abroad”. The CAHROM is also deeply concerned by racist violence targeted against Roma and the integration problems that this raises. The CAHROM urges the relevant authorities to take resolute action to address this.

As concerns the particular situation of Roma asylum seekers from Kosovo [3], the CAHROM reiterates Opinions adopted by its predecessor Committee – the MG-S-ROM – which it generally considers as still relevant, namely the Opinion on Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1633 (2003) on forced returns of Roma from the Former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, including Kosovo, to Serbia and Montenegro from Council of Europe member states, the Opinion on Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1708 (2005) on the current situation in Kosovo, the Updated Opinion on the return of Roma to Kosovo and South Eastern Europe (2009) and the Opinion on PACE Recommendation 1889 (2009) on Improving the quality and consistency of asylum decisions in the Council of Europe member states (2010).

Regarding the specific proposal made in paragraph 6.1 of PACE Recommendation 1941 (2010), i.e. to examine measures necessary to create durable solutions for Roma from Kosovo, the CAHROM will endeavour - its overall priorities and workload permitting - to take up this matter at one of its next meetings taking into consideration recent developments, as well as national practices (including on the basis of EU rules) concerning Roma asylum seekers and returnees to Kosovo. A number of written contributions on the subject have already been submitted to the Committee.

Appendix 4

NATIONAL ACTION PLANS AND PROGRAMMES

FOR THE INTEGRATION OF ROMA

SUMMARY OF THE STATEMENTS MADE BY THE MEMBERS OF THE CAHROM AT THE 1st MEETING OF THE CAHROM

(Strasbourg, 30-31 March 2011)

Replies to the question put by the Chair of the CAHROM:

“In individual member states, do any documents currently exist regarding strategies and/or action plans for the integration of Roma? If not, is the preparation or revision of such documents planned?”

Albania: In 2003, we drew up a strategy for improving the living conditions of the Roma minority. A year later, a technical secretariat was set up to monitor the strategy and its action plan. Albania has been part of the Decade of Roma Inclusion since 2008 and approved the relevant action plan in 2009. With regard to the various bodies responsible for Roma issues, there is a minorities committee at cabinet level. A Roma representative deals with Roma issues on that committee. We have approved the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and set up a committee to combat all types of discrimination, which includes representatives from the Roma community. An inter-ministerial group comprising the deputy ministers for health, culture, education, the police and employment deals with Roma issues at political level and follows up policies regarding Roma. Our secretariat has sought to institutionalise relations with NGOs by holding monthly meetings at the ministry, at which information is exchanged about the activities of the government and NGOs. In order to monitor and apply the two strategic documents more effectively, our secretariat has set up technical groups on Roma issues in the 12 regions in Albania. These groups are made up of local experts working in the fields of education, health, the police, employment and welfare services, etc. This will enable us to assess the situation of Roma and obtain practical recommendations for bringing about changes. Policies can be put into effect more easily at local level. They are drawn up by the government at central level and implemented locally.

Austria: Up to now we do not have a formally written action plan for Roma. However, this does not mean that we would not have corresponding strategies and instruments. Associations of our national minority group of Roma (which includes also Sinti) are funded by the state, Länder and communities and work very well. The subsidies are given for the associations' most important projects in favour for Roma issues. Compared with other European countries, the Austrian national minority group of Roma is very small and settled in Burgenland for more than 250 years. With regard to the issue of employment, it is very interesting to note that representatives of one of the central Roma associations in Burgenland have informed us that nowadays there is no difference in the unemployment rate of young Roma compared with the unemployment rate of young non-Roma in Burgenland. This is one result of the efforts and projects subsidised by the state for more than 15 years in Burgenland with the effect that especially young Roma are well integrated in all areas and no Roma child in Burgenland has to go to a school for those special pedagogical needs. Recently immigrated persons (most of them live in Vienna), which might have multiple identities including a Roma-identity, are a target group of a lot of integration programmes.

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Bosnia and Herzegovina has had a strategy for dealing with the problems of Roma since 2005. In the same year, we also established an action plan in the area of education tailored to Roma needs. In 2008, the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees adopted an action plan in the areas of health care and housing. We are now in the implementation phase and will revise this action plan next year. Lastly, since September 2008, we have been members of the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015.

Bulgaria: In Bulgaria, a framework programme for 2010-2020 was adopted in May last year by the cabinet. The NGOs and institutions concerned were actively involved in drawing it up. We have a national plan for the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015 which is currently being reviewed. We have also set up an advisory council at the Ministry of Employment which brings together 24 Roma NGOs. It issues advisory opinions on policies towards Roma and their integration into Bulgarian society. We have also set up another advisory and coordination council in the form of a national council for co-operation on ethnic questions and integration, which operates at cabinet level. It has regional and local bodies throughout the country. Bulgaria is currently adopting administrative reforms concerning the issue of Roma and the bodies responsible for co-ordination. We will be appointing a new co-ordinator for the Decade, but as the amendments have not yet entered into force, I will give further details at a later date.

Croatia: The Croatian government adopted a national plan for Roma in 2003. In 2005, we joined eight other countries in the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015. We hold meetings of the committee for the national programme for Roma three or four times a year and debate the issues related to the funding of the programmes for Roma (education, employment, health care, etc). The funding going to Roma has increased. In 2005, we started out with €374,000 and, by 2009, had reached a figure of €3.5 million, representing an increase of 44%. Croatia is co-financing an approximately €2 million project to improve facilities for Roma. The relevant programmes began in 2008.

With a view to increasing the employment rate among Roma, we have introduced a system for registering unemployed Roma, who are subsidised by employers in particular. Roma are notified of employment opportunities and their employment and training are co-funded. In 2009, the job creation agency co-funded employment for 233 members of the Roma community and organised activities involving over 1,000 people. Since 2008, 24 individuals have had their training co-funded. Croatia is a unique example since it is the Prime Minister who is chairing the National Commission for the implementation of the Roma National Programme; she is also the National Coordinator for the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015.

Czech Republic: The Czech Republic has had Roma integration programmes since 1997. The process began with the establishment of an the Interdepartmental Commission for Roma Community Affairs, which in turn led to a Government Council for Roma Minority Affairs in 2001. The Council is a permanent advisory and initiative body of the Government on issues related to the Roma Community. In 1998, we adopted an initial integration programme which has been expanded and revised many times, the latest revision being in 2009, when the Roma Integration Concept was updated for the period 2010-2013. Since 2008, we have been taking measures at local level, as demonstrated by the Agency for Social Inclusion. The Agency promotes integration plans at local level and establishes partnerships between NGOs, municipalities and civil society with a view to the integration of Roma in the areas of education, employment health and housing. It is a comprehensive approach which we seek to promote locally. At national level, we also draw up strategies for combating social exclusion.

Finland: In Finland the National Policy on Roma was launched in December 2009. The general aim of the National Policy on Roma is to promote the equality and social inclusion of the Roma in different spheres of life. The goal is to achieve permanent changes in the position and circumstances of the Roma by 2017.

The National Policy is a comprehensive and concrete programme that has been drawn up together with Roma representatives. The policy programme covers early childhood education, basic education, vocational education for the adult Roma, employment and access to the labour market, health and welfare, non discrimination, Romani language and culture and the development of administrative structures including the empowerment of Roma NGOs and societies. The different administrative sectors committed themselves to implementing the National Policy during the preparation phase. A specific Government Resolution on guidelines for a policy on Roma was issued on 9.12.2010. A monitoring group will also be set up in autumn 2011.

The implementation of the policy started in different key areas. For example the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has published “Finland´s Handbook on the European Policy on Roma” where the objectives of Finland for advancing the European policy on Roma have been stated. This was one of the actions proposed in the National Policy on Roma.

France: “Gens du Voyage” (roughly “Travellers”) is the compromise term used by the French Parliament to describe people who live in mobile residences, commonly known as “caravans”. We are currently faced with the major challenge of the interrelationship between French Travellers, the principle of freedom of movement and the presence of Roma from different European countries on our territory.

In 2000, a law (the Besson Law) was passed governing reception facilities and encampments for Travellers in France. Implementation lies with local authorities, which are statutorily required to provide encampment areas equipped with running water, electricity, toilets and all relevant sanitary facilities so that social conditions are improved throughout the country. As far as general and social legislation is concerned, we do not encounter any particular difficulties, as we do not have any ethnic minorities in our country. All citizens of the French Republic are treated equally. The position of the overall population of Travellers, which includes Gypsies (“Tsiganes”), Yenish (“Yéniches”), Sinti/Manush (“Manouches”), Gypsies with Spanish heritage (“Gitans”), Roma (“Roms”) and all those with the nomadic lifestyle shows that there are no problems in terms of access to health care, social security or schooling, although it is necessary to find solutions for access to schooling, as mobility complicates school attendance. Nevertheless, we are in favour of Travellers in the broad sense attending the country’s schools like other children without any discrimination.

As a senator and parliamentarian, I have been tasked by several ministers to draw up a report on improving the situation and the need to expand the 2000 law. This is currently generating real debate throughout the country as we try to identify the problems and the ways in which we can address them and provide solutions. Under the law, we have a national advisory commission on Travellers, which I have the honour of chairing, having been appointed by the Prime Minister. The commission has 40 members and is divided into four sections or colleges (ten representatives of Travellers, ten elected representatives, including one MEP, one senator, one member of the National Assembly, representatives of regional councils, département councils and municipalities, a third section of ten experts, and a fourth comprising representatives of the ten government departments concerned). 99% of the people we are talking about are French nationals and we estimate that they total 400,000.

We have had some difficulties with Roma from other countries in the European Union who are unable to find places to live and are not necessarily able to find employment easily. We are trying to find the answer to make living together and integration possible in our country. We do not want the way of life of French Travellers to be the only solution for Roma from other countries in the European Union. We are not insulting anyone by saying that the majority of these people are sedentary in their own countries and might end up being nomadic in our country, which we do not want. We will respect the choices of the various groups. We are trying to find a suitable response to freedom of movement, especially since the principle of freedom of movement (and hence access to employment) will become law for Bulgarians and Romanians as of 1 January 2013.

Greece: Greece is in the process of establishing a new national strategy for Roma based on the outcomes of the implementation of the initial national action plan for the social integration of Greek Roma, carried out from 2002 to 2008. The strategy is based on the idea of enabling Roma to access social and economic rights individually so that they can be fully and equally integrated into society. The main areas of activity will be those where Roma encounter serious problems in their daily lives, for instance education, housing, employment and health. This time, however, one of the priorities set is to encourage effective cooperation among all competent authorities, especially at the local level, in implementing the national integration policy. Each project submitted will have to include a component geared to the goal of social integration for vulnerable groups. We will therefore establish specific policies for realising our objectives, particularly at the local level where results have to be achieved.

Hungary: Hungary is part of the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015. We have adopted a parliamentary resolution and we have a two-year action plan. We are required to report to Parliament. We are attempting to make our structures more effective and have set up an interdepartmental committee on Roma affairs and social inclusion. We are also in the process of renewing the Roma intervention council, an advisory body comprising NGOs, making sure that their opinions are taken into account in policy development. Hungary currently holds the presidency of the EU Council. Apart from the fact of having Roma inclusion strategies and measures in Hungary, we also have to deal with a growing problem of extremism. It is a new development found throughout the region, and combating it is a new challenge. Now there are new divides in society which did not exist ten years ago or, at least, were not visible. We would like to co-operate with other countries in dealing with this problem.

Italy: We do not have a national action plan for the time being. Until last year, our policy involved activity which was relatively fragmented between ministries. In 2009, the employment ministry set up a round table to co-ordinate local and national institutions and rationalise all our efforts. By law, responsibility for the activities for the integration of Roma and Sinti lies with local authorities, but the Department for Equal Opportunities is making efforts in the south of Italy to develop a regional action plan. In this way, with the aid of the European Social Fund, we are co-ordinating all activities in the south of Italy and putting forward a model for other regions. We have recognised that the funding required for the social integration of Roma and Sinti is very substantial. Last year, €60 million was spent on Roma and Sinti, and the Ministries for Education and Health allocate substantial funding to them. What is urgently needed is for all these activities to be co-ordinated. The new policies go in that direction.

Latvia: In order to promote integration of the Roma community into Latvian society, eliminate discrimination and provide equal opportunities for the Roma community in the areas of education, employment and human rights in accordance with that community’s special needs, the government of the Republic of Latvia adopted a special State Programme “Roma in Latvia” for the years 2007-2009. At the end of this Programme, Latvia updated the various aspects of the Programme and plans to mainstream the policy for Roma integration (in particular, education for Roma and human rights education) into the National Identity and Society Integration Guidelines, to be drawn up by October 2011. In the framework of the Guidelines, the Latvian Government plans to develop a certain set of activities to promote integration of the Roma community at the national level in accordance with the EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies. Roma NGOs and activists are regularly invited and will be invited to participate in the process of the integration policy development, implementation and evaluation. The Roma population in Latvia only totals around 9,000 (officially 8,564 Roma, data from January 2011).

Lithuania: As the last Roma integration programme ended in 2010, we began drawing up a new programme. However, because of the amendments adopted, we have been forced to start again from scratch. At the moment, we are considering whether to draw up a new inter-institutional plan as originally intended or merely an institutional plan for Roma integration confined to the areas of informal education and cultural identity. Following the Communication by the European Commission about the EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies, Lithuania has decided to introduce an inter-institutional plan which will probably start in 2013 and finish in 2015.

Moldova: The national action plan for Roma ended in 2010. It covered the areas of health, employment, education and welfare, etc. The body responsible for co-ordinating the action plan was the bureau for interethnic relations. Under the action plan, each government department had to draw up its own measures for implementing the plan, and the same applied at local level. The main obstacles to the effective implementation of the action plan involved follow-up and evaluation of the programme, funding, co-operation with local authorities, the participation of Roma and recognition of discrimination against Roma. Moldova is now in the process of developing a new initiative in the form of a new action plan for the period from 2011 to 2015. The OSCE-ODIHR has assisted us with the preparation of the new action plan.

Montenegro: Following a regional conference, Montenegro agreed to join the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015 in January 2005. The government adopted an action plan for implementing the decade so as to put an end to the exclusion of Roma. In order to address the limited scope of the action plan, the Ministry for Human and Minority Rights proposed at a conference on 8 November 2007 that a more comprehensive strategy be adopted for improving the situation of Roma from 2008 to 2012. This involves practical measures covering a four-year period in the areas of political participation, social issues, economics, culture, information technology and health, etc.

Norway: We have a national action plan which was adopted in 2009. It was presented to the MG-S-ROM in autumn 2009. The plan concerns education, housing and social services. The measures in the plan are revised annually, in co-operation with the municipality of the capital, Oslo, with the Roma NGOs, and within the inter-ministerial co-operation group, headed by the Ministry of Government Administration, Reform and Church Affairs.

Romania: We had a strategy for Roma which applied until the end of 2010. We are currently analysing that strategy and drawing up a new one. The government has issued new guidelines for the strategy and we are working on an action plan to establish the necessary financing for the programme. We have already made good progress and hope that it will be completed by mid-April 2011.

Serbia: In Serbia, we have a strategy for Roma which is implemented through official government documents, including, in particular, an action plan. We take a systematic approach and seek to find solutions through these programmes. We hope to obtain the support of the Council of Europe and of the CAHROM for the purpose of improving the mediator programmes. The Decade of Roma Inclusion covers the areas of education, health, employment and housing. It is important to determine who is going to take charge of implementing these measures. A training programme for mediators is needed and I hope that all the countries concerned will inform us of the results of their actions in order to fuel debate in this Committee.

Slovakia: We have a strategy for the development of the national minorities in the Slovak Republic for 2010-2013. We have had a new government for six months, which is reviewing the strategy. However, people are expecting implementation of the strategy, which has been accepted and is official (it is on the government website). It focuses on the development of a number of programmes in the fields of employment, health and education for Roma. We employ the horizontal-priority structure to have a comprehensive approach at local level. €200 million are allocated to these programmes. Up to now, villages and towns have submitted their projects, and we have granted them €150 million to date. We are currently in a review process and must make sure that the various projects really are aimed at the Roma community. The government must explain its intentions in terms of the organisation of the strategy for the next four years. The Roma have put forward their proposals for the strategy. We have the Office of the Plenipotentiary for the Roma Community, which sets out the short-term priorities and ensures co-operation with the Ministry for Agriculture and Development, the Ministry for Justice and other relevant bodies. The local authorities are going to initiate a debate on legislative plans which should help to make progress with the issue of land ownership. In terms of education, the Plenipotentiary is negotiating with the Education Ministry on changes in legislation designed to eliminate the segregation of Roma in primary schools, reduce the number of Roma in special classes and increase the number of Roma children in kindergartens. In welfare terms, we are co-operating to bring about changes in the law to improve the welfare system. A further aim is to improve long-term employment opportunities and empower the Roma population. The priority of the Office of the Plenipotentiary is implementing a local strategy for a comprehensive approach. The Plenipotentiary believes that use should be made of the structural fund for the purpose of developing local projects. The projects for the strategy have already begun.

In addition, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for Human Rights and National Minorities, in co-operation with the Office of the Plenipotentiary for Roma Communities, is preparing an updated and revised National Action Plan of the Decade of Roma Inclusion in 2005-2015 to be approved by the Government. The preparation of the revised Decade National Action Plan has been moderated by UNDP in Bratislava with all interested parties. The Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family of the Slovak Republic is preparing a draft law on socially excluded groups, which aims to address concentrated poverty. The Office of the Plenipotentiary for Roma community has started (beginning of June) the work to evaluate old strategies for Roma adopted so far and is preparing a new strategy for Roma in accordance with the call of the EU Platform addressed to all EU Member states to prepare such a new strategy by the end of 2011, in correlation of general EU strategy EURO 2020.

Slovenia: In March 2007, we passed a law on Roma, regulating the status of Roma in Slovenia and defining the responsibilities of state bodies and local governments for implementing the particular rights of the Roma community. The law makes provision for arrangements for the Roma community at local and national level and for funding of the relevant programmes. Article 6 provides that a programme of measures must be adopted. This was done last year for the period from 2010 to 2015. As far as the areas covered in the programme are concerned, we are focusing initially on issues concerning living conditions. There are also issues in the areas of education, employment, health, culture, training and awareness-raising. On the latter point, Slovenia has been conducting a Dosta! campaign for several years now.

Spain: Spain was the first country in Europe to adopt a specific plan for the development of the Roma Community, (named “Gypsies” in the Spanish context) called Programme for the Development of Gypsies, and has been running it since 1988. It is a programme which involves two lines of action: firstly, co-operation with regions and municipalities so as to ensure a holistic approach to integration and, secondly, co-operation with NGOs. Since the early nineties, a commission formed by several NGOs and the Ministry responsible of the implementation of the Plan (which was the Ministry of Social Affairs, and then the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs), was set up, with the aim of involving the Roma NGOs in the development of the Plan. In 2005, this Commission was turned into a National Council of the Roma (Gypsy) Community, with a broader composition (40 members, distributed equally among the different Spanish Ministries and the Roma NGOs) and scope, since now it is a consultative collegiate body in all matters that may affect the Roma community, and especially those related to equal treatment and non-discrimination. Its final aim is to give an institutional form to the interaction between the national administration and Roma associations regarding social welfare policies aimed at the integral promotion of Roma communities. It comprises five working groups. A year ago, with an intensive prior cooperation of the National Council of the Roma (Gypsy) Community, we launched the 2010-2012 Action Plan for the development of the Roma (Gypsy) population in Spain. That coincided with the Spanish Presidency of the EU Council. It is divided into eight areas of action, (citizenship, equal treatment and non discrimination; education; employment and economic activities; social action; health; housing; culture and, finally, European agenda). In April 2011, on International Roma (Gypsy) Day, we are going to present the first evaluation report for 2010.We are currently drawing up the National Strategy that comes after the Communication of the European Commission on an European Framework (launched on 6 April 2011).

“the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”: We have already developed a strategy for Roma and a national action plan for the Decade in the four priority areas (education, employment, health and housing). Our country has been a member of the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015 since the outset. In addition, since 2008, we have revised the national action plans and we will be revising them again next year. Lastly, we will be drawing up local action plans for the four priority areas this year.

Turkey: Turkey does not have a national strategic action plan for Roma. However, we hope to have one very shortly. Our plan (so to speak) began in 2009 when the Ministry of State responsible for Roma issues held a meeting with 80 organisations and various other federations. On that occasion, the Ministry confirmed its responsibility for Roma issues and undertook to resolve the problems facing Roma. This was followed by a major gathering of Roma, which was attended by the Prime Minister. He indicated his determination to resolve the difficult situation facing Roma and declared that “Roma are Turkish citizens, brothers and sisters of Turkey and they are welcome”. After this, various laws which involved discrimination against Roma were reviewed. Those concerning encampments and residence in Turkey included expressions such as “gypsies” and even “thieving gypsies”. This was, of course, changed. At the same time, a circular was issued to Turkish governors requiring that applications for Turkish identity documents be processed without discrimination or penalties.

A commitment was also made to build 10,000 dwellings for Roma, 8,000 of which have already been built.

The government tries to work with Roma. Special programmes have been set up under the aegis of the Ministries of Health, Education and Employment. In February 2011, the Ministry of Education held a meeting with Roma organisations, civil society and academics to draw up a strategic plan for Roma in the education sector. Governmental meetings have been held at European Union level. The secretariat has held discussions with Roma. The latter are invited to all kinds of meetings with ministers and governors and they feel increasingly at ease when it comes to setting out their needs, requirements and wishes.

Moreover, seven Roma have expressed their wish to stand for election to Parliament. The two main parties have encouraged Roma to take part, and we hope that there will be Roma MPs in June 2011.

Ukraine: In Ukraine, we drew up a programme for Roma for the period from 2003 to 2006. However, we were unable to implement the programme in full, as the government did not allocate sufficient funding. We are now in the process of an administrative reform and the various institutions are being changed. We used to have a committee which dealt with migration issues but it no longer exists as such and has been incorporated in the Ministry for Culture. Relations with Roma in Ukraine are still very strained and the situation has actually worsened over the last 15 years. Many studies conducted by various institutes have condemned the situation of Roma. We would like the Council of Europe to offer us additional assistance so that we can work more effectively.

United Kingdom: In May 2010, a new coalition government took office. Ministers in the new government are concerned about inequalities experienced by Gypsies and Travellers and have established a cross-government Ministerial Working Group to work out how to reduce these. The Ministerial Working Group is chaired by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and includes the ministers responsible for education, employment and health. Gypsies and Travellers themselves have been involved in deciding the priorities for the Ministerial Working Group, which include health, education, housing and access to financial services.

[1] By end of July twenty-one country replies have been received by the Secretariat [see document CAHROM (2011)12].

[2] The dates of the 2nd CAHROM have now been fixed to 22-25 November 2011. The meeting will be held in Istanbul and will last four days, including a one-day field visit to Roma communities.

[3] All reference to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, in this text shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.