Article based on the yearly Dutch input to the Fundamental Rights Agency (27 November 2014).

1. P. Jorna, Consultancy Social Inclusion, 27 Novemember 2014 pjorna@xs4all.nl Pagina 1
Roma integration in the Netherlands, Annual update 20141
Developments in the Netherlands are described with regard to the implementation of the national Roma integration strategy, in particular measures
concerning Roma children and Roma women: for example, efforts to combat discrimination faced by Roma children and women, among others,
including fighting violence against women and girls, trafficking in human beings, underage and forced marriages and begging involving children; as
well as developments concerning provision of quality education for Roma children.
Policy Measures focused on the Roma subgroup2
The Dutch key program Combat of Childabuse relating Roma (2011-2013) has been evaluated positively by the Ministry of Justice and Safety,
together with the Ministry of Social Affairs/Integration and other stakeholders such as the Platform Roma Municipalities. Subsequently the
government decided (12 December 2013) to prolongue the program with another period (2014-2016) and stretch out the pilot (4 municipalities being
Nieuwegein, Veldhoven, Lelystad, Ede) nationally, reaching out for more potential partners/ municipalities and allocating 1.5 million Euro of which
800.000 Euro for new proposals.3
The implementation of this measure was published by the Ministry of Safety and Justice in September 2014, by way of a selective Call for Proposals,
channelled through the Platform Roma Municipalities (Association Dutch Municipalities). Members of the Platform have been invited as well as
institutions working on this particular field of Multi Problem Families.
Criteria for project proposals are in line with 8 programpillars set for this next period: 1) empower professionals, 2) exchange good practices, 3)
benefit from police expertise, 4) support municipalities and projects, 5) research the extent, 6) include Roma, if/where possible, through dialogue and
participation, 7) proceed European attention, 8) monitor results (successful interventions). Deadline (proposals) and starting date (implementation): 1
November 2014 respectively 1 January 2015. How many and which type (municipality, institutions) of the indicated stakeholders did submit
projectproposals remains unclear, yet. 4
One of the invited institutions, Salvation Army, submitted a proposal to elaborate its general comprehensive method on youth care (including
employability, training and education) and by fostering the dialogue with and participation of Roma.5
This institution reached out for several Roma
keypersons to be part of the projectdevelopment process (since July 2014). Doubts, concerns and critics remain however, specifically relating the
negative terms of reference (‘childabuse’, ‘childexploitation’) as set by the leading Ministry of Safety and Justice and as maintained in the next
programperiod.6
1
Based on the 2014 input for the Annual Report Art1, Chapter 3 on Roma Integration, February 2015.
2
As definied by the Netherlands to be priority (to counter schooldropout, early marriage, criminality), conform a general approach of setting boundaries and offering perspectives. See also
Annual Report Art1, Chapter 7 on Roma Integration, February 2014, pp. 80-95. Art1: Rotterdam, 2014.
3
Letter to Parliament by the Minister of Safety & Justice, together with the Minister of SZW/Integration, 2013-2014, 32824, nr. 52, 3 April 2014, The Hague: SDU.
4
A further question by mail (21 November 2014) to both Ministries responsible (S&J, SA) about the amount/origin of projectproposals remained unanswered so far.
5
Mail by Salvation Army (6 October 2014).
6
Mail Roma Platform Netherlands (16 September 2014).

2. P. Jorna, Consultancy Social Inclusion, 27 Novemember 2014 pjorna@xs4all.nl Pagina 2
Education
Schools still are in the opportunity to apply for extra education facilities for Sinti and Roma children under the condition of a presence of four or more
pupils of these backgrounds.7
Since 2011 the Monitoring (1985-2006) has been taken up in a limited form. The primairy education monitor (schoolyear 2013-2014) have been
presented in a Network Meeting (27 November 2014). Regarding secondairy education Monitor results are foreseen in 2015.8
Observations will be necessairily limited to a few remarks:
- The number of schools (14 out of 32: 45%) responding is –slightly- growing but will remain limited, taking into account the small proportion and
spread of the pupils in this sample (1 up to 90 pupils per participating school) and Dutch schoolsystem in general.
- In the sample population (182 pupils) Traveller backgrounds prevail (75% cf. Roma 17% and Sinti 8%). Roma, however, show the largest gaps
in educational backgrounds: 37% of parents with no education what so ever, where as 80% of Travellers and Sinti parents at least enjoyed
primairy education.
Political developments
On March 12, the Standing Committee on Social Affairs including Integration treated the Ministerial Letter to Parliament (2 December 2013)
concerning Roma and Sinti, referring to the two key documents in this respect (Inclusion Monitor Roma and Sinti and the Police Academy report on
Multiproblem Families with a Roma background). A majority of this Committee requested for a more dialogue and participation based approach.9
A
need for more substantial information about the subject was felt by the Committee and therefore a Parlementairy Hearing – for the first time since the
repeal of the Caravan Act in 1999 - on Sinti, Roma and Travellers was organised by the same Standing Committee, on 29 September 2014, in the
Hague: a full day composed of a series of presentations with questions and answers, divided in three rounds composed of representatives (individual
keypersons as well as representatives from the two national organisations of Roma, Sinti, Travellers), local authoritities (Platform Roma
Muncipalities) and institutions (Police, Salvation Army, other service providers in care) and independant experts and non-governmental organisations
successively (Defense for Children).10
The speakers in the first round focused on discrimination (employment, police), the need for empowerment (training) and the shortage of mobile
7
State Gazette (‘Staatscourant’) 2014 nr. 9217, 2 april 2014, ‘Regeling Bekostiging en Ondersteuning onderwijs’, Article 40, ‘Aanwezigheid zigeunerkinderen’ (‘Presence gypsy children’), pp.
12-13, accessible at http://www.poraad.nl/sites/www.poraad.nl/files/regeling_bekostiging_personeel_2014-2015.pdf For further explanations, see also Annual Report Art1 2013, Chapter 7
Roma Integration, pp. 85-86. Art1: Rotterdam, 2014.
8
Both monitors are implemented by the KPCgroup, the former Catholic Paedagogical Center, which continues to carry out tasks in this respect and maintains a website called Education
Travellers, Roma and Sinti, accessible at http://www.owrs.nl/nieuws/Monitor_OWRS.html
9
Report of a General Consultation between the Minister of Social Affairs/Integration with the Standing Committee Social Affairs/Integration Issues 2013-2014, 32 824, nr. 55, pp. 4, 5, 18, 42,
The Hague: SDU.
10
Standing Committee Committee Social Affairs: Convocation, program and Agenda 29 September 2014, open to the public and accessible through
http://www.tweedekamer.nl/vergaderingen/commissievergaderingen/details?id=2014A02959

3. P. Jorna, Consultancy Social Inclusion, 27 Novemember 2014 pjorna@xs4all.nl Pagina 3
home pidges especially for youth (‘extinction policy’), but also the Post War Compensation Fund (restart proceedings too slowly) and European
developments and commitments (EU Roma Framework). The second and third round focused on the current Dutch policy audagium (‘between setting
boundaries and offering perspectives’) relating multiproblem families with a Roma background (such as schooldropout, early marriage and
criminality): should these policies continue to be mainstreamed or more tailormade and specificly targeted; how is necessairy data collection to be
reconciled with data protection legislation.11
The subject will be back on the agenda later this year, when the Ministers of Social Affairs and Safety & Justice discuss the budgets with Parliament
(end of November 2014).
Civil Society developments
Several Round Tables have been organised in the Netherlands, in which above mentioned issues were dealt with specifically or as part of a more
general Agenda.
The Dutch Institute of Human Rights (‘College Mensenrechten’) organised, at request and in presence of the Council of Europe body ECRI, a first
Round Table on the Netherlands as a follow up on the fourth monitor report released in 2013 (30 Juni 2014, the Hague). As Roma, Sinti and
Travellers are considered one of the vulnerable groups in the Netherlands and as such explicitly referred to in the monitoring reports, their NGO’s
were invited too to bring up issues to their concern: priority has been given to the extinction policies on the field of housing (the right to live in a
mobile home, brought forward by the Association of Sinti, Roma, Travellers Netherlands) and to the current policy emphasis on law enforcement
(which restricts a sound dialogue, put forward by the Roma Platform Netherlands).12
Defense for Children organised a Round Table for stakeholders and professionals involved on Roma children and adolescents in profile, in function
of the TransEuropean ECPAT project (30 June 2014, Leiden). A profile of Roma from the victimperspective had been designed and discussed with
representatives of National Bureau Human Trafficking, Police, Youthcare institutions, Child Custody organisations, Public Attorney and ministry of
Justice.13
In this respect the publication of the Council of Europe report on the Netherlands deserves attention, as special reference has been made concerning
Roma related to the question of human trafficking: ‘for the purpose of forced begging or petty crimes which affects predominantly children,
particularly of Roma origin, deserves further research in the Netherlands as this phenomenon has been witnessed in neighbouring countries where
transnational networks have been operating and moving children from one country to another’ (GRETA 2014, paragraph 95, page 29).14
11
Personal observations. Although no official Hearing report has been made, there was some media exposure, such as Het Wiel Woonwagennieuws Magazin (Novermber 2014) and VNG
Magazine, 29 September 2014, accessed on internet on 15.25 hrs. http://www.vngmagazine.nl/nieuws/16763/aandacht-voor-roma-en-sinti
12
Personal notes, 30 June 2014; Report College Mensenrechten of ECRI Round Table, 25 July 2014. See also Annual Report 2013, Chapter 7 on Roma Integration, pp. 93. Art1: Rotterdam,
2014.
13
A Report has been disseminated to the participants (Defense for Children, 18 July 2014).
14
The report refers also to the Dutch emphasis and clarifications as regards this particular issue (GRETA, Report concerning the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action
against Trafficking in Human Beings by the Netherlands, published on 18 June 2014, p. 35, paragraph 121).

4. P. Jorna, Consultancy Social Inclusion, 27 Novemember 2014 pjorna@xs4all.nl Pagina 4
Another Round Table was organised by the Dutch Legal Committee Human Rights (NJCM) in function of its Public Interest Litigation Project (10
September 2014), in order to investigate the need and possibilities for taking up a case on the right to live in a Mobile Home (litigating the ‘Extinction
Policy’, implemented by public authorities). 15
As a follow up to this, NJCM organised a Brain Storm Session with key stakeholders directly involved,
in order to explain proceedings concerning the individual case selected (5 November 2014).
In 2014, the right to live in a mobile home has been promoted significantly when a local Travellers initiative acquired on 15 August – in cooperation
with the National Center for Folk Culture and Immaterial Heritage - a place on the list of Immaterial Cultural Heritage proposals to the Dutch
government, in function of the UN-Treaty on Protection of Immaterial Cultural Heritage (ratified by the Netherlands with Unesco in 2012).16
Relating the Post-War Compensation Fund 17
, the Ministry of Welfare maintains direct contacts with keypersons originating from the Sinti and
Roma communities in function of a possible restart in 2015, by organising a second Round Table (February 2014) as well as the necessairy
preconditions and practical legislative implications. As a third and final Round Table was meant to be taken place in May but postponed to October
(and subsequently postponed again), which gave reasons for concern to the keypersons selected and the communities involved.18
On the European level
Apart from regular Cahrom meetings (Council of Europe19
) a few other significant gatherings took place, worthwhile mentioning because of Dutch
civil society involvement. At the third Roma Summit (4 April 2014, Brussels), in addition to the participation of officials (National Roma Contact
Point as well as the Human Rights Ambassador/Foreign Affairs), two NGO’s participated (Association Sinti, Roma, Travellers Netherlands; Roma
Platform Netherlands) drawing attention in the plenairy to the situation in the Netherlands. Also the Salvation Army participated, stakeholder on the
field of youth care.
The ROMACT local authorities Conference (3 October 2014, Brussels) showed neither Dutch official nor grass roots presence, but did account for
the presence of the Dutch Salvation Army elaborating a Roma approach as well as a Dutch Painting Exhibit called Smoky Pictures, Sinti and Roma
then and now.
The two national organisations mentioned above, realised their registration in 2014 in order to be recognised as members of the European Roma and
Travellers Forum (ERTF), were invited to participate at the plenairy annual meeting in Strasbourg and brought relevant issues forward, such as the
restrictive mobile home policies implemented by public authorities and housing corporations (‘extinction policy’) and stigmatising Roma and
15
A Report has been distributed to all participants, such as local and national Travellers organisations including Sinti and Roma (NJCM/PILP, 16 September 2014).
16
‘Travellers Culture recognised as immaterial cultural heritage’ (Het Wiel/Woonwagennieuws, September 2014).
17
For more explanations, see Annual Report 2013, Chapter 7 on Roma Integration, pp. 89-90, February 2014, Art1, Rotterdam.
18
Personal informations. Access to the Report of the meeting inclusively a design of future priorities to be taken up in connection to the Fund, is restricted to the participants (March 2014 and
October 2014).
19
The Dutch member of the Ad Hoc Committee on Roma –meeting yearly (Spring and Autumn), in Strasbourg and in a memberstate- is officially linked to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and
retired mayor of Nieuwegein and former chair of the Platform Roma Municipalities.

5. P. Jorna, Consultancy Social Inclusion, 27 Novemember 2014 pjorna@xs4all.nl Pagina 5
Travellers as criminals (18-19 November 2014). In 2014, ERTF addressed the University of Utrecht because of alleged generalisations in the Mobile
Banditry research, published in English in 2014 (Annual Report 2014, p. 24, ERTF, Strasbourg).20
Media
No big issues nor large exposure as compared to 2013, apart from a few items on criminality and childabuse, as well as items on Roma and Sinti
during World War Two commemorations, broadcasted on television 21
and radio 22
. The Roma Rights Journal released an article on the Dutch Roma
policies, in the framework of a Migration Special (ERRC, 2014).23
Also, the recognition as cultural heritage of the lifestyle of people who use to live
in a mobile home gained significant media exposure in all news clippings during the Summer period.24
20
See also Annual Report 2013, Chapter 7 on Roma Integration, pp. 92, 94, Art1, Rotterdam.
21
NOS tv channel 1, ‘Hundreds of Roma involved in criminality’ (24 January 2014, item removed http://nieuwsuur.nl/onderwerp/601674-honderden-roma-in-criminaliteit.html); EO tv channel
2, ‘Believing on 2’ (‘Geloven op 2’): the Gypsy transport on 16 May 1944 and 70 years afterwards , 21 May 2014, accessible at http://www.eo.nl/geloven/programma/geloof-en-een-hoop-
liefde/aflevering-detail/aflevering/geloven-op-2-55e62432bd/
22
NTR Radio channel 1, ‘One on the Street’ (‘1Op Straat’), program titled ‘More money for Roma, Childabuse among Roma’, accessible at http://1opstraat.ntr.nl/?s=Roma&x=0&y=0
23
The Dutch case of setting Boundaries (Jorna, P. in: Going Nowhere? Western Balkan Roma and EU Visa Liberalisation. Roma Rights 1. ERRC: Budapest, 2014).
24
Press releases, background articles and broadcasted interviews accessible from 15 July until 16 August 2014 http://www.isgeschiedenis.nl/nieuws/woonwagencultuur-toegevoegd-aan-lijst-
immaterieel-erfgoed/
http://www.nu.nl/binnenland/3828472/woonwagencultuur-komt-lijst-immaterieel-erfgoed.html

6. P. Jorna, Consultancy Social Inclusion, 27 Novemember 2014 pjorna@xs4all.nl Pagina 6
Table 3: Roma integration and Structural funds
The legislative package for the European Union Structural Funds for the period 2014–2020 was adopted in December 2013. These funds, totalling €325
billion, are the EU’s principal investment tool for delivering Europe 2020 goals, including as regards the integration of marginalised Roma communities.
Table 3 has been completed regarding the planning, allocation and/or application of the Structural Funds for the new Dutch planning period and the
application of the ex-ante conditionality regarding Roma inclusion.
With regard to Structural Funds Yes/No Comments and additional details
Are there special provisions about the ex-ante
conditionalities related to Roma inclusion in the
country’s 2014-2020programming documents?
No The ministry of Social Affairs –coordinating also Integration issues in general and nominated in 2012 as National Roma Contact Point- argued that for
reasons of scarcity (relating ESF) and policy (meainstreamed) the Nederland choose to allocate the ESF means broadly towards disadvantaged people
and towards sustainable employability (SZW mail 20/10/2014 at request 20/11/2014).
‘Possibly, Roma participate in projects dedicated towards people with a distance to the labourmarket’, the ministry SZW clarifies in addition
(department of International and European Affairs). ‘However, Roma are not defined as a specific targetgroup, in line with the Dutch position’
(towards a targeted versus a mainstreamed approach). Therefore, the department states, the Netherlands does not contain specific referrences towards
Roma inclusion in the ex-ante conditionality and its Operational Programs, nor mentioning Roma explicitly as target group.
Having in mind the EC Assessment of the Netherlands on National Roma Integration (‘Key steps since 2011 and Identified Gaps’, 4 April 2014), in
which the Dutch government was encouraged by the EC to raise the Funding allocated to the integration of disadvantaged people (in 2007-2013: 8%)
to at least 20% of the total ESF budget for 2014-2020. In October 2014 the Netherlands decided to allocate -through certain regions- 70% (€ 360
mln) of the ESF-budget for people at a distance to the labourmarket and 20% (€ 100 mln) for sustainable employability. The remaining 10% is
allocated to a G-4 labourmarket project (four large cities Rotterdam, The Hague, Amsterdam, Utrecht). 25
Consulting the recently updated EC Justice
website on Roma Integration (country information) the following information could be added:
‘For the 2014-2020 period, the Netherlands will receive a total of €1.3 billion in EU Cohesion funds (at current prices), out of which €1 billion will
come from the ESF and the ERDF. Of this amount, at least half will be spent on the ESF, with at least 70% of that going towards promoting social
inclusion and combating poverty. The latter could also finance Roma-related measures’. 26
25
Asked by mail (20/11/2014) about the percentage allocated to social inclusion in this next ESF period, the department responded with more detailed data from the Operational Programma (26
November 2014).
26
Information accessed in November at http://ec.europa.eu/justice/discrimination/roma-integration/netherlands/index_en.htm