EU Roma Strategic Framework brings positive progress on Roma rights across the EU with further efforts needed

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The European Commission has published the third implementation report on the EU Roma Strategic Framework, covering the period from June 2023 to March 2025. The report identifies how the framework is helping advance Roma equality, inclusion and participation across the Union, while also outlining the remaining challenges.

Progress can be seen across areas such as employment, early childhood education and care, as well as strengthening national coordination of Roma equality and inclusion policies and increasing political recognition of antigypsyism.

Severe material deprivation among Roma people has decreased significantly, from 62% in 2016 to 37% in 2024, while the proportion of young Roma in employment, education or training has risen from 38% to 53%. Housing deprivation has declined, from 61% to 47%. The proportion of Roma in paid employment has increased from 43% to 54%, with most employment-related targets expected to be reached by 2030 if the current progress continues. Participation in early childhood education and care has also risen from 42% to 53%, although it remains significantly below that of the general population.

However, progress remains uneven and barriers remain to true equality for Roma people in Europe. Progress is stagnant in relation to segregation in education, overcrowding, paid gender work gap, discrimination experiences, and reporting of them. For example, only around one third of Roma young people complete upper secondary education, and nearly half of Roma children continue to attend segregated schools. 31% of Roma still experience ethnic discrimination. Moreover, poverty and social exclusion remain entrenched, with 77% of Roma children at risk of poverty and 40% of Roma households living in severe material deprivation.

The Commission calls on Member States to sustain and ramp up the efforts needed to achieve the 2030 targets of the EU Roma strategic framework.

Next steps

Member States should strengthen the implementation of their national Roma strategic frameworks through stronger institutional capacity, better coordination and monitoring, and integrated, cross-sectoral policies. The Commission will continue supporting Member States in these efforts, including through the European Social Fund+ which provides approximately €1.8 billion to fund targeted interventions for marginalised communities, such as Roma, in 15 Member States for the period 2021-2027. The Commission will continue monitoring the thorough implementation of the EU Roma Strategic Framework, with the next implementation report foreseen in 2028.

Background

The EU Roma Strategic Framework for Equality, Inclusion and Participation 2020–2030 introduced, for the first time, EU headline quantitative targets for 2030. The framework is complemented by the Council Recommendation of 12 March 2021, under which Member States committed to adopting and implementing national Roma strategic frameworks.

Implementation reports draw on Member States’ reports, data from the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) Roma Surveys, and contributions from Roma and pro-Roma civil society organisations, as well as other stakeholders.

The Racial Equality Directive, the Council Framework Decision on combating racism and xenophobia, the revised Victims’ Rights Directive, and the Equality Body Directives also contribute to building a Union of Equality for all. Recent EU initiatives, including the European Affordable Housing Plan, the strengthened European Child Guarantee, and substantial ESF+ funding for Roma‑targeted projects, aim to mainstream Roma inclusion across policy domains.

For more information

Report on the progress made in the implementation of the national Roma strategic frameworks

Implementation Report: Staff Working Document

EU Roma strategic framework for equality, inclusion and participation

National Roma strategic frameworks – Commission assessment and implementation reports

Commission’s Anti-Racism Strategy