European Commission – ERGO Network

CSOs react to New European Commission

European and national equality civil society networks and organisations react to the portfolio of the Commissioner-designate for Preparedness, Crisis Management and Equality

In light of the recent unveiling of the new European Commission, European and national equality civil society networks and organisations wish to express their shock and dismay over the downgrading of the Equality portfolio compared to the previous mandate.

Op zoek naar een veilige en betrouwbare gokautomaat? Probeer Sweet Bonanza App en win echt geld!

When the President of the European Commission delayed announcing the new College due to the lack of female Commissioners, we were hopeful that this signalled a commitment to strengthen the Equality portfolio and advancing the EU’s vision for a “Union of Equality.” Instead, we are disappointed that this delay appears to have been more a performative gesture regarding an expected “gender quota” than a genuine commitment to substance.

The shift from Equality being a stand-alone portfolio to now being combined with Crisis Management and Preparedness under the same Commissioner poses a significant risk that the latter will be prioritised to the detriment of the former. Given crises’ urgent and often overwhelming nature, we fear that equality issues will be sidelined in favour of crisis management. This new configuration risks undermining the consistent and diligent implementation of the Equality agenda, as crises like pandemics, wars, and economic or environmental disasters will likely dominate the Commissioner’s time and focus. Recent years have shown that crises can easily overwhelm even the most dedicated officials.

Despite the ambitious goal of building a Union of Equality, the mission letter fails to grant the Commissioner-designate a broad mandate to lead the fight against structural and intersectional discrimination or to advance anti-discrimination legislation. Worrisome is also the complete omission of age discrimination, a ground for action under EU treaties, marking a step backwards from the previous Commissioner’s mandate. The letter also fails to underpin these objectives with the necessary Commission services as it only refers to the Equality Taskforce.

We are also concerned by the lack of long-term consideration of gender equality based on collective values, knowledge and behaviours acquired through education and life-long learning. We regret the absence of long-term investment in education and future generations, essential to allow the EU to « shift from reaction to proactive readiness » in the field.

Gabriela Hrabaňová, the Director of the European Roma Grassroots Organisations (ERGO) Network, stated that “With equality tacked onto crisis management, efforts to address antigypsyism, racism, and intersectional discrimination against Europe’s racialised minorities will likely be overshadowed or significantly diminished.“

Sabine Saliba, Secretary General of Eurochild, stated, ‘’Considering global conflicts, the increasing effects of climate change, and the importance of non-discrimination policies, we believe these issues warrant more focused attention. The integration of the two portfolios may risk sidelining essential efforts to uphold the rights of all children, including those facing unique vulnerabilities due to their circumstances, such as children with disabilities, Roma children and children with a migrant background.’’

Farah Abdi, Policy Officer at TGEU, stated, “The Mission Letters show a worrying disconnect between equality and key areas like democracy and justice, sidelining protections for LGBTI people, especially trans refugees, who face heightened risks to their fundamental rights. Without committing to a strong legislative push, the renewed LGBTIQ Equality Strategy risks further marginalisation at a critical time.”

Maciej Kucharczyk, Secretary General of AGE Platform Europe, commented on behalf of their network of more than 100 organisations, directly representing millions of older persons in Europe. “At a time when inequalities are increasing in our societies across all population and age groups, the EU must step up – not scale down – its efforts to achieve a ‘Union of Equality’. It is completely inappropriate to lump together such an important issue for the EU’s internal and external affairs under the broad Preparedness and Crisis Management portfolio. We are particularly concerned by the lack of any reference to the fight against age discrimination in the new equality portfolio, which is a clear downgrade from the mandate of the past Commissioner. There can be no true ‘Union of Equality’ unless the Commission takes action on age discrimination alongside other grounds”.

Together, ERGO Network and other equality-focused networks and civil society organisations call on the European Commission’s leadership to ensure that equality remains a central priority in the EU’s work. We urge President Ursula von der Leyen to reaffirm the EU’s commitment to the Union of Equality and equip the Commissioner with the resources and capacity needed to fulfil this role effectively.

Given the inexplicable absence of DG JUST and DG EMPL from the Mission Letter—departments that oversee the EU Anti-Racism Coordinator and the units responsible for the Union of Equality—we seek clarification from the Commission on how the Equality portfolio will be implemented structurally and practically. A genuine commitment to equality should also include recruiting people of diverse backgrounds within the Commissioner’s cabinet.

Sincerely yours,

The signatory organisations below

European Networks:

European Roma Grassroots Organisations Network
Eurochild
European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless (FEANTSA)
European Association of Service providers for Persons with Disabilities (EASPD)
European Network Against Racism (ENAR)
European Anti-Poverty Network
Equinox – Initiative for Racial Justice
AGE Platform Europe
European Disability Forum
Social Platform
European Roma Rights Center
European Civic Forum
TGEU (Trans Europe and Central Asia)
Eurodiaconia
Feminist Collective of Romani Gender Experts
Quality Education in Europe for Sustainable Social Transformation (QUEST)
Dynamo International
ternYpe – International Roma Youth Network
Hope and Homes for Children
International Step by Step Association-ISSA
OII Organisation Intersex International Europe e.V.
Romnja Feminist Library
Diaspora Vote

National organisations:

Romano Centro, Austria
Minority Initiative, Austria
Waterford Integration Services, Ireland
Changemakers Lab, Greece
Greek Forum of Migrants, Greece
Equal Opportunities Initiative Association, Bulgaria
Roma Forum, Serbia
Amalipe, Bulgaria
Integro Association, Bulgaria
Roma Women Platform ROMNI, Moldova
Estonian Human Rights Centre, Estonia
Phiren Amenca, Hungary
Romni APS, Italy
Central Council of German Sinti and Roma (Zentralrat Deutscher Sinti und Roma), Germany
Melde- und Informationsstelle Antiziganismus (MIA), Germany
Amaro Drom, Germany
Zero Discrimination Association, Turkey
Advancing Together, Kosovo
Trajosko Drom, Sweden
Roma Community Centre, Lithuania
La voix des rroms, France
Regional Roma Educational Youth Association-RROMA, North Macedonia
Nevo Parudimos, Romania
Roma Advocacy and Research Centre, Slovakia
RomanoNet, Czechia
Roma Women Fund “Chirikli”, Ukraine
Jaw Dikh Foundation, Poland
Roma Active Albania, Albania
Presencia Gitana, Spain
FAGIC – Federación de Asociaciones Gitanas de Cataluña, Spain
E-Romnja, Romania
Migrant Tales, Finland
Helsinki Deaconess Institute Foundation sr, Finland
The Finnish Roma Association, Finland

Crisis Over Equality: ERGO Network Urges EU to Prioritise Antiracism and Roma Inclusion

In response to the unveiling of the new European Commission, we at ERGO Network express our concern over the diminishing focus on equality, particularly with regard to Roma, Europe’s largest ethnic minority.

The Commission’s composition and portfolio allocations emphasize economic competitiveness and crisis management, pushing social equality into the background. This is a departure from the previous Commission’s commitment to a “Union of Equality” and is sadly rather expected. It is also in line with the current lack of Roma representatives in the new European Parliament and the slogan of the Hungarian Presidency in the Council of the European Union, “Make Europe Great Again.”

Even before the formal announcement from the Commission President, there were “rumours” about Member States’ lack of interest in appointing a candidate for the Equality portfolio. Belgium’s current nomination does not do much to dismiss the rumours.

The new Commissioner-designate for Equality, Hadja Lahbib, is also the Commissioner-designate for Preparedness and Crisis Management.

While ERGO Network wholeheartedly welcomes the presence of a woman with a minority background as Commissioner, we are very much concerned about the merging of the Equality portfolio with issues that have nothing in common and the political message this sends to both Member States and EU citizens.

While there is a decline in the protection of human rights and the rule of law in the EU, this nomination can only legitimise the rise of the far-right and leave space for challenging the priority given by the EU to fighting racism and ensuring equality for all.

With this new nomination (merged portfolio), it is reasonable to expect that a crisis—like a pandemic, war, or another economic, environmental, or geopolitical one—will dominate the Commissioner’s agenda. If the last years have taught us anything, it is that we can always be sure there are enough crises to fill a Commissioner’s working day.

With equality tacked onto crisis management, efforts to address antigypsyism and racism against other racialised minorities will likely be overshadowed or significantly diminished. Questions also remain around the practical arrangements of the Commissioner’s cabinet, the division of tasks, and the human resources allocated to fulfil the tasks on the Equality portfolio. Questions arise particularly about the continuity and role of the Antiracism Coordinator and how the new Coordinator will work with the New Commissioner for Equality.

We welcome the elevation of the portfolio previously responsible for Employment and Social Affairs to the level of Executive Vice-President, but we lament the loss of explicit wording on social rights from the title. We further appreciate the explicit mention of the Union of Equality in the Mission Letter and the call to ensure the fight against discrimination, groundbreaking new initiatives on quality jobs, and the fight against poverty, among others.

Furthermore, portfolios such as that of Magnus Brunner, Commissioner-designate for Internal Affairs and Migration, emphasise the need to improve the safety and security of Jewish communities under the EU Strategy on Combating Antisemitism and Safety of Muslims under the EU Antiracism Action Plan while failing to address human rights threats against Roma in the EU.

Additionally, the broader political context underscores these concerns. Ursula von der Leyen’s willingness to engage with more right-leaning groups like the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) signals a potential rightward shift in EU policy. This could mean reducing the attention paid to progressive social policies, including those focused on minority rights and equality.

ERGO Network calls out the failure of both Member States and the leadership of the Commission to ensure that Equality is given the place it needs within the work of the European Union and insists that emphasis on antiracism, including the fight against antigypsyism and Roma discrimination, is not overshadowed but the merger of Equality with other issues.

The Roma community has long been Europe’s largest and most marginalised ethnic minority, and now more than ever, the Commission must prioritise policies that uphold and advance our rights.

ERGO Network response to the Spring Package 2022 – What’s in it for Europe’s Roma?

European Commission releases Spring Package 2022 – What’s in it for Europe’s Roma?

On 23 May 2022, the European Commission published the so-called Spring Package, comprising the 27 Country Reports, 27 Country-Specific Recommendations, and the accompanying Communication on the Spring Package, in the framework of the 2022 European Semester. This marks a return to the 2020 European Semester procedure, as – exceptionally – 2021 did not feature Country Reports or Country-Specific Recommendations. ERGO Network and its national members have reviewed the Package, to see to which extent it explicitly mentions Roma rights and inclusion, as well as ethnic minorities, discrimination, racism, and the role of civil dialogue.

Access the full analysis here.

Key Findings

The accompanying Communication highlights the Roma as one of the most affected groups by the Covid-19 pandemic and speaks of improving their labour market inclusion.
7 Country Reports include references to the Roma (BG, HR, CZ, HU, RO, SK, SI) in 2022, which is one more than in 2020, but still insufficient as Roma live in 26 EU Member States.
Only one Country-Specific Recommendation (HU) mentions the Roma, a slight improvement from 2020 (the first year with no Roma CSRs since 2012), but less than pre-2020.
Ethnic minorities, discrimination, and racism are absent from both sets of documents, with only discrimination mentioned twice each in the Country Reports for 3 countries (BE, HR, IE).
Civil society organisations were not associated to the drafting of the Country Reports, and the Spring Package references to their role are few and vague (7 Country Reports, 1 CSR).

Overall, while our members welcome references to Roma communities in some countries, they lament that most of the Spring Package 2022 doesn’t explicitly mention them, whereas the Roma are present in all Member States except Malta, and experience rates of poverty and social exclusion of over 80% in all of them except the Czech Republic. This situation was exacerbated by the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the rising cost of living and energy price spikes. As the Package itself highlights these very challenges, it would have warranted more attention paid to one of Europe’s most left-behind communities.

The recurrent focus on supporting just transitions and mitigating the consequences for vulnerable groups is very positive, however it is our members’ experience that, unless the Roma are explicitly named as key target beneficiaries of support measures, mainstream initiatives and dedicated national and EU funds end up not reaching them. Europe’s Roma must be specifically prioritised in the EU’s Recovery Package and associated funds, if the EU is serious about delivering on its commitments for Roma equality, participation, and inclusion.

Our members equally express disappointment that issues of discrimination and antigypsyism are not present in the Package, as these have increased in recent years, and even more so during the pandemic. The fact that the country analyses and recommendations do not seek to establish explicit synergies with the EU and national Roma Frameworks is a tremendous missed opportunity.

Finally, they deplore the lack of recognition and support given to civil society organisations in the documents, given that most of them are not only on the frontlines, providing essential support to communities in need, but they equally possess the knowledge, expertise, and direct links to beneficiaries which are needed to inform the design of public policies and ensure both ownership and effectiveness of interventions.

For more information about ERGO Network’s work on the European Semester and associated frameworks (European Pillar of Social Rights, Sustainable Development Goals etc), please contact Senior Policy Adviser Amana Ferro.

ERGO meets EC desk officers

ERGO members meet European Commission desk officers

On 10 September 2020, the European Roma Grassroots Organisations (ERGO) Network facilitated an online exchange meeting between its national members in 5 key countries (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia) and their counterparts in the country desks of DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL) and DG Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO).

The meeting served as a space to update each other on the preparation of National Roma Integration Strategies in the specific countries, as well as on Roma participation in the process of designing measures to target Roma under the European Funds. The participants also discussed the possibility to introduce Roma indicators in the funds, connecting them better with the Roma strategies. Finally, in view of the upcoming European Semester Country Reports 2021, the European Commission urged ERGO Network members to feed Roma realities and proposals, in particular with a view to the pandemic and recovery.

ERGO Network director Gabriela Hrabanova pointed out that the exchange was very timely, as we are now living a crucial moment where dots need to be connected to ensure that Roma rights and inclusion are delivered on. She stressed the importance of having a Roma-specific indicator, to ensure that the impact of measures and funds on Roma communities can be measured, and lessons learned. Investment is also needed in civil society, to build capacity and strong coalitions in order to effectively put forward the voice of the Roma. She reminded that ERGO Network is also actively monitoring the European Semester and wishes to see better alignment between these processes and the EU Roma Strategic Framework.

ERGO Network members expressed their concerns regarding the situation in their countries. For Bulgaria, Liliya Makaveeva and Kadrin Hasanov from Integro Association, stressed that civil society organisations were not involved in the consultation processes for the elaboration of the post-2020 National Roma Integration Strategy. The situation was better when it came to the working groups for most Operational Programmes, where civil society is present and can put forward proposals – even if those are not always taken into account. It is equally important to ensure that the Roma feature prominently in the upcoming Country Reports 2021.

In Czech Republic, Michal Miko from RomanoNet, Jelena Silajdžić from Slovo 21, and Nikola Taragoš from Romodrom agreed that they felt that their country was on the right path to have a good Strategy with positive measures, although there is always room for improvement. For the first time, Roma NGOs and the Roma Council are able to negotiate with different ministries to achieve good quality Operational Programmes, and hopefully deliver real inclusion for the Roma in the Czech Republic.

For Hungary, András Nun from Autonómia Foundation and Melinda Kassai from Butterfly Development informed that, unfortunately, civil society is not being involved in any process, and drafts have not been shared. The state of democracy in Hungary is dire, and civil society is systematically disempowered and kept out. There are no open calls, funding is allocated behind closed doors, without competition, participation, or transparency. A few well connected actors receive all the opportunities.

For Romania, Florin Botonogu from the Policy Center for Roma and Minorities and Daniel Grebeldinger from Nevo Parudimos indicated that the next national Strategy looks like a good document on paper, and – very importantly – has budgetary allocations attached. Civil society has been very involved in the drafting process, this was the closest cooperation in the history of the national Strategy. Both organisations have closely followed both this process, as well as the consultations around EU funds, which was however a much poorer engagement process. It was very difficult to ensure the delivery of Community-Led Local Development (CLLD) during the pandemic, as .community participation was not feasible in online meetings.

For Slovakia, Zuzana Havírová from the Roma Advocacy and Research Center shared that the country now had a new Head of the Plenipotentiary Officer for Roma Communities, which means that the process for the preparation of the Strategy was much more open to Roma people and the civil society organisations working with them than previously. This is a very encouraging step, however more can be done to improve participation, ownership, and transparency.

Konstantinos Niafas, from the Romanian desk in DG REGIO, noted the process of regionalisation currently taking place in Romania, which means that some of the EU Funds will be channelled through regional Operational Programmes in the next programming period. While the negotiation processes for the planning of the period 2021-2027 are ongoing, there is a parallel open channel to discuss the recovery and resilience funds, a process which is still being designed. The Commission is hoping to receive the National Recovery Plans from Member States by October – this is a process coordinated by the Secretariat General of the European Commission, together with DG ECFIN. However, he stated, a lot of coordination was needed, with all these processes taking place at the same time, so such exchange meetings are welcome.

Ştefan Păduraru, working in the Romanian desk in DG EMPL, also noted that addressing the needs of disadvantaged communities, including Roma, was an important priority for the European Commission in the ongoing negotiations on the next programming period. As these negotiations are not finalised, however, it would be difficult to comment on specific future interventions. Grassroots organisations such as the ERGO Network members are encouraged to proactively contribute to this process through, for example, the consultation process undertaken by the Romanian authorities on the draft Operational Programmes.

Pavel Tychtl, working for the Czech Republic desk in DG EMPL, highlighted that sensitive, intelligent solutions needed to be found at both EU and national level to collect disaggregated information on Roma without infringing data privacy. This would enable having a concrete and specific indicator, which would allow all parties to evaluate the impact of the measures. It is important to keep in place the explicit, but not exclusive, principle when designing specific Roma targeted measures. Regarding civil society engagement in the Czech Republic, the overall feeling is that there is good cooperation, relevant actors work together. Even where voices are diverse, the message is strengthened. Information from the ground is incredibly appreciated and valuable, and national meetings are also open to civil society actors.

Andor Ürmös, from DG REGIO, stressed that the debate on a Roma-specific indicator was a very important one, as such as indicator would help improve Roma participation in the big Programmes. However, he expressed concern that such an indicator, if used improperly, might lead to segregation, and that social and economic inclusion of the Roma would be seen as a separate side-process.

After the opening plenary, participants split into breakout rooms according to countries, in order to be able to exchange bilaterally more in detail about specific national concerns. Some of these bilateral discussions during the meeting have led to the setting up of more such follow-up meetings, so that the two sides can keep each other involved.

Once participants reconvened once more in the main virtual room, Jamen Gabriela Hrabaňová, ERGO Network Director, ended the meeting by reassuring desk officers that ERGO Network national members and staff stand committed, willing, and able to provide all necessary input and feedback from their work directly at grassroots level, to make sure that the voice of the Roma is being heard.

EU Recovery plan – the case of Roma

The effects of Covid-19 on Roma communities in EU Member States and Enlargement and Neighbourhood Countries

Throughout Europe, most governments have failed to design or implement specific measures to address the vulnerability of Roma during the coronavirus pandemic. With Commissioner’s Dalli statement on the importance of prioritising the protection of fundamental rights and racialised minorities during Covid-19, and the Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative Plus and EU Solidarity Fund, Member States were provided the needed support to address the impact of the pandemic crisis on the economy and society, including the most vulnerable.

Despite the massive lack of data on the situation of Roma during the pandemic, reports from our members and partner CSOs indicate a huge, disproportionately negative impact of both the pandemic and the security measures associated with it on Roma communities across Member States, Enlargement and Neighbourhood Countries, aggravated by long-term systemic discrimination and antigypsyism.

ERGO Network has issued two papers addressing this situation:

The first, “EU Recovery Plan: The case of Roma in the Member States, Enlargement and Neighbourhood Countries” offers a set of concrete policy measures both urgent and mid-term to the European Commission.

The second document provides insights into the situation of different Member, Enlargement and Neighbourhood States.

ERGO Network will continue to closely monitor the impact of the crisis.