The power of EU social inclusion policy : A critical analysis of the EU framework for national roma integration strategies

Absztrakt (kivonat)

In the last four years the debt crisis in the Euro-zone has escalated in a number of Member States of the European Union. On the other hand the next European Union‟s Financial Frame 2014-2020 is aiming to address current socio-economic challenges as well as achieving ambitious development targets set into the Europe 2020 agenda. Among the priorities, the EU social inclusion policy remains a core principle in targeting and providing a new Cohesion Policy among Member States. Considering that the EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies is part of and largely shaped by the EU social agenda this research aims to look at the strengths and weaknesses of EU social inclusion policies. The purpose of the study is to contextualize the social inclusion agenda to the Roma situation in Europe and examine whether the suggested policy-frame contains sufficient policy-mechanisms for transferring the obligations of EU Framework to Member States. The study brings both theoretical and practical aspects of the social inclusion paradigm, including academic dilemmas and policy-making channels embedded to EU Cohesion Policy discourse and to the national welfare system. Opinion-based evidence, collected through interviews of academics and experts, further raises debate in the analytical part of the thesis. Conclusions and recommendations are given in the final chapter of the research considering the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders.