The
major funds that the European Commission allocates to reduce
disparities
between the levels of development of the various regions and to
strengthen economic and social cohesion, broadly convened as Structural Funds,
as well as the major action programs developed to directly combat
discrimination, and promote social inclusion (such as the upcoming
PROGRESS –
Community Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity, 2007-2013)
have and
will have a crucial impact on achieving the goals of the Decade for
Roma
Inclusion.
The
strategic importance of EU funding for the overall implementation of
the Decade
emerges from at least two circumstances.
First,
the Decade for Roma Inclusion does not have its own, special funding.
As the
programmatic description of the Decade informs: “Funding the Decade
will
presume the reallocation of existing resources in national budgets and
aligning
these plans with funding instruments of multinational, international,
and
bilateral donors.” (See ‘What is the Decade?’, description available on
the
official site of the Decade for Roma Inclusion, www.romadecade.org).
Furthermore, many
government-sponsored programs for improving the situation of Roma have
in the
past been financed from EU funds. Therefore, it appears even more
important
that the EU financial instruments be monitored to ensure they offer the
necessary tools for action to achieve the goals of social inclusion and
equality of opportunities for Romani women that have been formulated
under the
Decade.
Second,
the European Commission has conducted a major revision of the EU
funding
instruments, in the context of the elaboration and adoption of the new
Financial Perspective, 2007-2013. The new Financial Perspective that
was at the
heart of much prolonged EU debates will cover most of the Decade for
Roma
Inclusion. Therefore, it is essential that monitoring and advocacy
efforts be
made vis-à-vis national governmental
authorities and other relevant parties to ensure that Romani women and
men and
Roma communities will benefit from the upcoming financial support.