Open Society Institute’s initiativeMaking the Most of EU Funds for Roma

European cohesion policy and Roma inclusionAdam Kullmann

Brief description• Aim: channel EU funds to Roma inclusion• Prepared in 2008, launched in 2009• Covering CZ, SK, HU, RO, BG– To be extended to SEE

• Tool: technical and financial assistance– Project generation facility– Mentoring– Financing supplementary costs

• Budget: 3,5 meur / year• First results:– 200 projects generated so far, worth 50 meur– Practical experience with different models

Experiences 1: Promising initiatives• Grant for development of schools and urban areas

conditional to local equality strategy in HU• Geographical targeting in least developed microregions’

programme in HU, and comprehensive approach in SK– Explicit targeting needed in case of geographical targeting too– Time is a key factor

• Combating child poverty in HU• Representation of Roma interests in MCs in BG– Technocrats with experience in planning, not politicans

• Involvement of Roma civil servants in HU– Technical assistance needed from OSI

• Pilot programme with complex projects financed by OSI Emergency Fund in HU– Demonstrates that more flexible rules lead to better results

Experiences 2: Bottlenecks & Opportunities

Bottlenecks Opportunities

High entry costs Simplification of national rules(e.g. if the project manager needs to be a full time graduate person, peripheral areas have no access)Global grantTechnical assistanceLonger time for preparation

Unmanagable financial conditions Advance paymentFlat rate, lump sum, etc.

Lack of flexibility Simplification of national rulesLonger time for implementationShifting from control to monitoring

Lack of complexity Cross-financingTaking advantage of amendment of ERDF regulation on housing

Conflicts between Roma communities and local governments

External actors for community developmentGrant conditional to local equality strategy

Experiences 3: Further opportunities• Simplified project selection (global grant) and

payment (flat rate, lump sum, etc.) mechanisms shall be strengthened

• Cross-financing between ERDF and ESF shall be eased for integrated projects

• Rural development fund shall target social and Roma inclusion as well

• Equality policy units shall be set up in national administrations

• Etc.

Experiences 4: Political commitment• Political commitment shall be generated at EU level

since short term interests tend to be more important at national and even more at local level– High level forums shall be continued– Written plans shall be requested from MSs– EU funds for MSs shall be conditional• Amount and approach of EU funds allocated on Roma

inclusion shall decrease inequalities (see also the Joint Statement by the Trio Presidency, 9 April)• National legislation shall support Roma inclusion (see also

Communication from the Commission, 7 April)

– A good European Roma Strategy shall be elaborated

Afterword

Identify ’positive sum games’rather than ’good practices’

Thank you for your attention

Further information:Website – http://mtm.osi.hu/

Petra Kovacs – kovacsp@osi.hu