Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-12-03-Speech-3-112"
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"en.20081203.14.3-112"2
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".
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the first European summit on the Roma, which took place in Brussels on 16 September, was of fundamental importance for the partnership between the main actors in this area. It involved the participation of more than 500 senior representatives of EU bodies, Member States and non-governmental organisations and it was a reflection of our renewed determination to increase efforts to confront the social exclusion of Roma.
There was a clear message that the overall aim must be to integrate the Roma fully into the economic, social and cultural life of Europe and to ensure equal opportunities for everyone in the EU, including Roma. Civil society must be fully engaged in this partnership. It follows from this that the Roma must participate in proposing, implementing and monitoring policies which apply to them. The Commission therefore welcomes the contribution made to the summit by non-governmental organisations, for example the declaration from the EU Roma Policy Coalition. Unprecedented progress has been achieved this year on Roma integration through the combined efforts of the EU and the Member States and through cooperation founded on mutual trust and good will.
In the opinion of the Commission the most important conclusions of the summit were: the undertaking to promote the individual rights of Roma men, women and children; an acknowledgement of the fact that the EU and the Member States have a shared responsibility to support Roma integration in their different spheres of activity; an acknowledgement that the EU must support the Member States in carrying out their policies via coordination and financial support from the structural funds; a consensus that it is necessary to support culturally sensitive approaches focused on Roma which will promote their integration into the mainstream in terms of education, employment and communities without excluding other similarly disadvantaged members of society.
The Commission also gave a clear message at the summit that it will take all essential steps within its sphere of activity towards improving the situation of Roma and that it would ensure that they are able to make full use of the fundamental rights guaranteed in the Charter. The Commission will not hesitate to intervene where there is a breach of Community law, and that includes fundamental rights.
In relation to the conclusions of the summit, President Barroso and I have proposed the creation of a platform for Roma inclusion. This would provide a framework for bilateral meetings at a high level so that, for example, financial instruments supporting the policies of cohesion and rural development may be better targeted at Roma integration. In addition to this, the platform would constitute a concrete fulfilment of the Commission’s promise to make the instruments and policies of the Community more effective and to report on results achieved.
In connection with the conclusions from the June meeting of the European Council, the Member States should now evaluate progress to date and increase their efforts towards full Roma integration. The Commission will of course support the Member States. Apart from this, the Commission is looking forward to the meeting of the Council for General Affairs on 8 December, at which proposals will be debated in respect of the conclusions on Roma integration."@en1
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