The European Commission is committed to taking the necessary steps to improve the situation of Roma people and their social and economic integration in society. On 7 April 2010 the Commission adopted a Communication on the social and economic integration of Roma in Europe, the first ever policy document dedicated specifically to Roma.

It outlines an ambitious programme to help making policies for Roma inclusion more effective and defines the main challenges ahead. The Communication also outlines the complexity and interdependence of the problems faced by Roma in terms of discrimination, poverty, low educational achievement, labour market barriers, housing segregation and poor health.

In 2008 and 2009, the EU and Member States have focused on adopting non-discrimination laws and making EU funding more effective in promoting Roma inclusion.

The EU and Member States have a joint responsibility for Roma inclusion and use a broad range of funds in their areas of responsibility, namely the European Social Fund (ESF), European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) to support the implementation of national policies in these fields. The EU already co-finances projects for the Roma in sectors like education, employment, microfinance and equal opportunities, in particular equality between men and women. Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain have dedicated 172 € million for activities aimed solely at Roma.

The Commission also promotes the use of best practices and the exchange of information in the framework of the annual European Roma Summits. The most recent summit was held in Cordoba, Spain on 8-9 April. The European Platform for Roma Inclusion meets twice a year. The Platform's main principle is that all Roma policies should aim at integrating Roma into standard schools, labour market and society rather than creating a parallel society.

The European Year 2010 is specifically dedicated to the fight against poverty and social exclusion and the Roma have been identified as a group at high risk of poverty. A special focus has been dedicated to this group and a number of countries have mentioned the Roma as a group at risk in their country and proposed them as a priority for the activities during the Year: Hungary, Greece, and Slovakia for instance.

In addition to funding, the Commission has also convened high-level events in several Member States to raise awareness of the opportunities offered by EU funds to improve the social and economic situation of Roma and to promote a more efficient use of these funds. After a first series of events took place in Hungary in 2009 and are scheduled for September 2010, another series of high-level events will take place in Romania in October 2010 and more are planned for next year.