EU funding for Roma equality, inclusion and participation

Funding programmes

The EU supports the work of EU countries to improve the lives of all vulnerable people, including the Roma, through the European Structural and Investment Funds, principally the European Social Fund (ESF), the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).

Examples for an effective use of EU funds

Examples of promising practices of an effective use of EU funds for the benefit of Roma communities (+ ANNEX).

Allocation of funds

The distribution of funding and the management of the programmes are the responsibility of national authorities. Funding comes in 2 forms: shared management (managed jointly by the EU and EU countries) and direct management (managed directly by the European Commission).

The multiannual financial framework 2014-2020 made it easier for EU countries to use EU funds for Roma integration.

Sources of direct funding

Funding opportunities directly managed by the European Commission can be found under the following programmes

• The rights, equality and citizenship funding programme finances projects aimed at promoting equality and the rights of persons
• The employment and social innovation (EaSI) programme promotes quality and sustainable employment, combats poverty and social exclusion, and fights to improve working conditions
• The Erasmus+ programme, inter alia, supports projects on lifelong learning for Roma integration through education
• The public health programme finances initiatives for equal access to health care
• The culture programme provides funding for projects that promote intercultural dialogue with the Roma and other communities

Shared management

Information on EU countries where shared management projectsoccur is presented for each EU country and includes Roma national strategy, funding, contacts details, and promising practices.

Useful links

• Guidance for EU countries on using European structural and investment funds to tackle educational and spatial segregation (pdf)
• ESF Roma inclusion learning network (EURoma+Network)
  • Joint report on the use of structural funds for Roma inclusion based on country-by-country meetings: Full report (pdf) and key findings and proposals (pdf)
  • Practical handbook on monitoring and evaluation of Roma-related initiatives (pdf) under ESI Funds
  • Practical handbook on mainstreaming of Roma inclusion in general programmes (pdf), projects and interventions
• EURoma Network Guides
  • Tackling Roma Needs in the 2014-2020 structural funds programming period
  • Making use of European structural and investment funds for Roma inclusion. A Guide for local authorities (2014)
• EU project "Roma families get involved": Guide for working with Roma families towards achieving the success of their children at school
• Programming the structural funds for Roma inclusion in 2014-20: toolkit (pdf) from the Open Society Foundations (OSF)
• World Bank handbook (pdf) for improving the living conditions of Roma at the local level - January 2015
• Practical guide for police services (pdf) to prevent discrimination against the Roma communities - Net-Kard project
• Human rights litigation on behalf of the Roma - A guide for lawyers (pdf) - Net-Kard project
• Practical guide for media professionals(pdf) to prevent discrimination against the Roma communities - Net-Kard project
• Practical guide for NGOs (pdf) to prevent discrimination against the Roma communities - Net-Kard project