New EC Communication on the assessment of National Roma Integration Strategies just released

After a first assessment communication released in 2012, followed by yearly reports in 2014 and 2015, on 27 June 2016 the European Commission released a brand new communication assessing the implementation of National Roma Integration Strategies for 2016.

The present communication reports on the overall conclusions regarding progress in implementing the EU Framework. It also reviews, for the first time, Roma integration measures put in place under the EU Council Recommendation.
An accompanying Staff Working Document presents a country–by-country assessment, and highlights examples of practices in the various thematic areas.
 
According to its communication, one of the key priorities of the EC remains to “support the  capacity  building  of  local  authorities  and  civil  society in  order  to  promote their active mobilization”.
The ROMACT Programme is presented under the chapter on building capacity and promoting cooperation, as one of the joint programmes of the EU and Council of Europe. The new transnational cooperation component of ROMACT is also highlighted in the communication, where transnational cooperation itself is acknowledged as a structural measure to address Roma integration.