Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-03-09-Speech-2-331"
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"en.20100309.23.2-331"2
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"Mr President, I am going to answer the questions raised by Mrs Flašíková Beňová and Mrs Flautre on a matter which directly affects human rights, which affects all of us, and which also affects a large community, because the Roma population, as you are aware, is the largest ethnic minority living in the European Union, and it cannot be said that they have the same standard of living as the average European citizen.
With regard to the questions that have been put to me, the first raises the matter of the Structural Funds in this area, and I would like to say that the conclusions that the Spanish Presidency intends to adopt in the Council contain those ten basic principles, which include the revision or modification of the current operational programmes of the Structural Funds, as well as future regulations for the period beginning in 2014.
We have stressed that full use should be made of the Structural Funds in order to promote the integration of the Roma population and, specifically, we have proposed that integrated actions be implemented both in rural and urban areas, based on the recent amendment of Article 7 of the European Regional Development Fund. The aim of this is the comprehensive promotion of Roma communities beginning with improvements to their living and social situation.
The second question concerns the action to be taken by local authorities. We are aware that, in order for the Roma population to have access to the Structural Funds, local authorities, Roma organisations and the Roma population itself need to be actively involved in all phases of the process; in other words, in the planning, management, monitoring and assessment of European funds.
In its conclusions, the Council is also going to propose that the European Commission provide technical support and guidance to Member States and local authorities, and that it facilitate horizontal coordination between Member States and vertical coordination from European level down to national, regional and local level.
The third question asks whether the Trio of Presidencies has a strategic proposal or a strategic agenda for this issue. I can confirm that, in the programme drawn up by the Trio of Presidencies, the social and economic integration of Roma people is dealt with explicitly. This intention is laid down in the programme adopted unanimously by the General Affairs Council and is, therefore, in line with the strategy for the next 18 months, which is the period covered by the programme of the Trio of Presidencies.
We understand the need to commit to both short-term and long-term measures. In order to rectify inequalities, in the short term, we have to prioritise the tools I mentioned earlier and adopt an action plan to immediately tackle issues such as pupils attending special schools that are, in some cases, mainly or entirely for Roma children – a situation which causes clear segregation; housing problems, as mentioned earlier; health issues, and access to employment.
In the long term, we also want to see a horizontal, mainstreaming approach to Roma issues in all areas of European Union policy, and this will have to be carried out within the context of the open method of coordination and in areas such as fundamental rights, combating discrimination, regional development, education, and access to public employment and public services.
Finally, with regard to the issue of non-discrimination, it is well known that during the course of its term, the Spanish Presidency, and indeed the Trio of Presidencies, intends to promote the adoption of a directive which, for some time now, has not been adopted or brought to its final conclusion in the European Union: an integrated directive on combating discrimination and promoting equal rights; this is vital, precisely for those groups who suffer particular discrimination and, specifically, the Roma community."@en1
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