Council of Europe or European Union?

Working with Roma to improve their own lives

There are some ten million Roma and Travellers in Europe spread across practically all the Council of Europe's member countries.

The Council of Europe's main objective is to encourage its members to take a comprehensive approach to Roma issues. This involves three main priorities - protecting minorities, combating racism and intolerance and preventing social exclusion.

One of the fundamental principles guiding this approach is participation of the communities concerned, through Roma and Travellers representatives and associations.

Since 1995, the Committee of Experts on Roma and Travellers (MG-S-ROM) has been tasked with advising member states and encouraging international authorities to take action where needed.

Its role complements that of the Secretary General's Co-ordinator of Activities concerning Roma, responsible for promoting co-operation with other relevant international organisations and developing working relations with Roma and Travellers issues organisations.

For more information, please Download the leaflet of the Roma and Travellers Division (PDF) or visit the News page.
 

Forthcoming Activities The Fourth Plenary Assembly of the European Roma and Travellers Forum will be held on 24-25 November 2008 in Strasbourg. The main focus will be the setting up of national member/umbrella organisations in the Council of Europe member states, and the adoption of the European Roma Rights Charter, as well as the definition of orientations and priorities for the coming year. The opening ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. on Monday 24 November 2008 in meeting room G2, AGORA Building. It will be followed by a commemoration ceremony for the victims of the Romani Holocaust at the memorial stone in front of the Palais de l’Europe.   The next meeting of the Informal Contact Group of Intergovernmental Organisations and Institutions on Roma, Sinti and Traveller Issues to be held under the French Presidency of the European Union, will take place on 5 December 2008 in Brussels.

Latest Documents The report of the 26th Meeting of the Committee of Experts on Roma and Travellers (MG-S-ROM), which took place in The Hague, Netherlands, from 5-7 November 2008, will be available shortly. The Annotated Agenda and List of Participants are however available here.