This week the Council of Ministers adopted a recommendation on effective Roma integration measures. All 28 European Union Member States committed to implementing a set of recommendations, proposed by the European Commission, to step up the economic and social integration of Roma communities. The Council Recommendation was adopted unanimously by ministers less than six months after the Commission’s proposal.

The protection of Roma children is part of the Recommendation, as well as investing in good-quality inclusive early childhood education and care, healthcare and a reference to right to education enshrined in the UNCRC. The Recommendation calls on Member States to ensure the involvement of all relevant actors including public authorities, civil society and Roma communities. It is the first ever EU-level legal instrument for Roma inclusion and reinforces the EU Framework for national Roma integration strategies.

Find the Council recommendation here.