Civil Society Appeals for Consultation on EU Roma Strategy Development
15 February 2011
Budapest, Brussels, 15 February 2011: Today, a group of European and Hungarian Romani and non-Romani organisations sent a letter to the Hungarian government, currently holding the EU presidency, and the European Commission, appealing for open consultation with NGOs on EU Roma policy related initiatives.
Recognising the important commitment of the Hungarian Presidency and the European Commission to developing a European Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies (Framework), the signatory organisations requested that a schedule of regular meetings be established for NGO consultation in the preparation of the European Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies, the Presidency proposal for Council Conclusions on Roma, the February Informal Contact Group Meeting and the April Roma Platform Meeting. The organisations also called on the Hungarian Government and the European Commission to support an International Preparatory Meeting for NGOs in connection to the Roma Platform Meeting in April.
The following organisations signed the joint request in English and Hungarian:
Amnesty International Magyarország / Amnesty International Hungary
Esélyt a Hátrányos Helyzetű Gyerekeknek Alapítvány / Chance for Children Foundation
Magyar Helsinki Bizottság / Hungarian Helsinki Committee
Magyar Női Érdekérvényesítő Szövetség / Hungarian Women's Lobby
Minority Rights Group Europe
Nemzeti és Etnikai Kisebbségi Jogvédő Iroda / Legal Defence Bureau for National and Ethnic Minorities
Open Society Foundations
Phralipe Független Cigány Szervezet / Phralipe Independent Roma Organization
Társaság a Szabadságjogokért / The Hungarian Civil Liberties Union
Amalipe Center for Interethnic Dialogue and Tolerance
European Roma and Travellers Forum
European Women’s Lobby
Federation of Kale, Manouches & Sinti Women / Fédération des femmes cale/kalé, manouches & sinté
European Roma Policy Coalition:
European Roma Grassroots Organisations Network
(European Roma Policy Coalition Chair)
Amnesty International European Institutions Office (European Roma Policy Coalition Co-Chair)
European Roma Rights Centre (European Roma Policy Coalition Co-Chair)
European Network Against Racism
European Roma Information Office
Open Society Foundations
Policy Center for Roma and Minorities
Roma Education Fund
Fundación Secretariado Gitano
For further information, contact:
Sinan Gokçen
ERRC Media and Communications Officer
sinan.gokcen@errc.org
+36.30.500.1324
