European Parliament

 

The Parliament has both the power to legislate and to adopt the final budget. It also approves the nomination of Commissioners for the European Commission and has the power to censure the Commission. There are many Roma relevant documents of the European Parliament (resolutions, questions, communications, recommendations and reports). The most important are the following 7 resolutions: Resolution of the European Parliament on the Situation of Gypsies in the Community (1984) ; Resolution of the European Parliament on Education for Children whose Parents have no Fixed Abode (1984) ; Resolution of the European Parliament on Illiteracy and Education for Children whose Parents have no Fixed Abode (1989) ; Resolution of the European Parliament on Gypsies in Community (1994) ; Resolution of the European Parliament on Discrimination against Roma (1995) ; Resolution on the Situation of Roma in the European Union (2005) ; Resolution on the situation of Roma women in the European Union (2006);European Parliament resolution of 15 November 2007 on application of Directive 2004/38/EC on the right of EU citizens and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States; European Parliament resolution of 13 December 2007 on combating the rise of extremism in Europe; Resolution on a European Strategy for the Roma (31 January 2008); Resolution on the census of the Roma on the basis of ethnicity (10 July 2008)

 

In its resolution from 24th of May 1984 (C172/153) the European Parliament acknowledged the fact that "gypsies still suffer discrimination in law and practice" and called on the governments of the Member States to eliminate discrimination against Roma.

 

Since 1984 the Parliament's activities, together with those of the European Commission, have contributed to some positive steps in combating discrimination against Roma, particularly in the field of law. The European Parliament has played a vital role in the promotion and protection of Human Rights, monitoring and improving the situation of European Roma especially in the context of the accession process, which resulted in  Roma becoming the largest ethnic minority in Europe .

 

Available mechanisms of the European Parliament (EP)

 

1. Members of the European Parliament ( MEPs)

The large number of MEPs and their very diverse experiences, opinions and political orientations leads to a significant number of people within the Parliament who are open to issues related to social exclusion, discrimination and racism.

 

The most open to Roma related issues are the Socialists and Greens but there are numerous MEPs in the People Party who are very interested in minorities issues (especially Hungarian MEPs ).  Significant in this respect is the fact that the two Roma MEPs part of the European Liberal Democrats (Victoria Mohacsi) and European People Party ( Livia Jaroka) are both from Hungary .

 

The EP has an anti-discrimination group lead by Claude Moraes.

 

There are a few things which an MEP can practically do:

 

1. table a question to the European Commission  - very easy and sometimes very efficient as the Commission is obliged to answer. In order to do so you have to convince the MEP about the importance of the issue you want to bring it up with the Commission and help to prepare a good, clear cut question which not to allow an ambiguous and around the question answer of the Commission

2. have an intervention in the relevant plenary meetings

3. raise the issue within the meetings of MEPs party and advocate for a position or action of the party related to the issue raised

4. insert comments in the answers of the Parliament to the Commission documents – any Communication of the Commission regarding EU initiatives ( such as European Years) requiring a budget need to go through the parliament. There is a significant number of such documents and any help can increase the chances of meaningful indirect contributions to the EC documents

5. initiate a report of the Parliament on an issues of relevance ( Livia Jaroka initiated such a report on the Situation of Roma women) – such an initiative leads to numerous debates and is a very good instrument of raising awareness.

6. initiate a resolution of the European Parliament – there are two methods of initiating such a resolution both used by the Roma MEPs.

 

 

2. EP political groups

 

There are already three parties who have or prepare Roma focused strategies ( People Party, Socialists and Liberal Democrats) reason why all those groups should in theory open to contribute to the development  of a EU Roma strategy and especially to politically support such a policy. Within the permanent staff of the political groups are citizens of all the countries of the EU. Those have usually a very limited knowledge on Roma and need as much support as possible on these issues.

 

3. EP committees and subcommittees

 

The 22 existing Committees of the European Parliament are designed to initiate legislation in collaboration with the European Commission. Committees are made up of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), and are lead by a Chairperson and three Vice-Chairpersons who usually reflect the political composition of the European Parliament. Each Committee also has substitute Members.

 

The main activity of the Committees are the Reports which are compiled by a rapporteur, appointed by the chairman of the Committee, selected from amongst the Members or permanent substitutes. The initiators of such reports are most usually also rapporteurs therefore any lobbying directed towards a report is usually well received by MEPs as published reports gather a significant media attention and strengthens the MEP leverage within the Committee.

 

The most important committees are: Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (http://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/libe_home_en.htm) , Women's Rights and Gender Equality (http://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/femm_home_en.htm) , Employment and Social Affairs  (http://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/empl_home_en.htm ) , Culture and Education (http://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/cult_home_en.htm ) and the subcommittee on Human Rights part of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (http://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/afet_home_en.htm ). The Committee on Petitions is examined by itself.

 

In all the above committees there are MEPs interested in the situation of Roma and that can be targeted for raising Roma related issues in the meetings of the committees.

 

4. The President of the EP

 

The President of the European Parliament is in itself an institution and can be lobbied outside the normal EP channels. It is important if possible to have a declaration of the president related to issues of concern as the declaration is made in the name of the European Parliament and is registered as an official document of the European Parliament. Based on such declarations there are many opportunities at the political level.

 

 

5. Petitioning the EP

 

Committee on Petition (PETI) is most probably the most direct link between the EU citizens and the European Parliament. For a full description of activities of the PETI please visit: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/peti_home_en.htm .