The European Commission has assessed the progress made by Member States in the implementation of their national Roma integration strategies and the measures they have taken.
Inter-sectorial co-ordination and the monitoring of the inclusion strategy are evaluated in particularly positive terms in the case of Hungary. The Commission recommends that, in using EU funds, Hungary, too, should treat the promotion of Roma inclusion as a priority during the period between 2014-2020.
According to the communication, Hungary is conducting a robust and structured dialogue with regional and local authorities, including the sharing of good practices. The European Commission concludes that there is a regular dialogue in Hungary with the representations of the target group (Roma people) and civil society, the target group is actively involved, and a targeted territorial and integrated approach is being used for the allocation of resources.
The communication speaks highly of the monitoring system of the Hungarian social inclusion strategy which keeps track of the progress of implementation and the social impacts of the measures, extends to all relevant sectors, and supports added data collection and research. The communication makes specific mention of Hungary’s micro-regional inclusion policy. Its core value lies in the fact that it channels funds to the most disadvantaged micro-regions with complex social interventions, community and rural developments and human resource services, by relying on specific data and indicators that help to gauge the depths of the problems precisely. Hungary has made an adequate baseline assessment for monitoring the process of inclusion, including the mapping of the poorest Roma communities. The monitoring system extends to the assessment of the results and social impacts of the measures of the social inclusion strategy. All relevant stakeholders participate in the process of monitoring, the social inclusion strategy is evaluated and reviewed on an ongoing and systemic basis, and there is regular cooperation with the statistical agencies.
As regards the fight against discrimination, the communication mentions that Hungary has introduced effective measures for the sensitisation of society and there are specific measures designed to combat human trafficking and the labour exploitation of children.
We are naturally aware that we have a long way to go and the relevant problems can only be solved with hard work, based on a systematic approach. The communication mentions that Roma children still suffer from segregation in education in Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. In the interest of addressing this problem, we set up an Anti-Segregation Round Table a month ago, the purpose of which is to provide a forum for consultations between the Government and civil society regarding the topical issues of educational integration and segregation.
In the context of the operation of the National Contact Points of the Member States for Roma integration, the communication concludes that these contact points in Hungary adequately take part in the national sectorial coordination mechanisms as well as in the planning of the use of EU funds, and there is appropriate coordination among the various levels of governance.
The Commission recommends the establishment of a Common Strategic Framework for the effective use of the funds which will become available during the period between 2014-20 in the interest of the integration of disadvantaged groups, including Roma people. The Commission therefore proposes that Roma integration should be an investment priority in Hungary, too, similar to 8 other countries, and that specific objectives should be identified in connection with the labour market integration and social inclusion of Roma people.
(Ministry of Human Resources)
