%0 Journal Article
%T The Roma as a Protected Minority? Policies and Best Practices in the EU
%A Sigrid Lipott
%J Romanian Journal of European Affairs (RJEA)
%D 2012
%I European Institute of Romania
%X The Roma people are one of the most heterogeneous minority groups in Europe, encompassing a broad variety of cultural traits and linguistic diversity, resulting in numerous sub-groups and fragmented identities. However, the group defines itself as a 'unified non- territorial transnational nation'. The most recent developments at European level show an increasing willingness to adopt minority rights documents directed to autochthonous minorities. This has provided also the Roma, or part of them, with opportunities to be granted effective protection with support in the rights-based approach. The following paper will focus on the issue of Roma minority protection in the EU. The first two sections introduce the key features present in the debate regarding Roma minorities, highlighting the in-group diversity. The third one analyses the different legal status of the Roma communities in the EU. The fourth section highlights the importance of a framework instrument for the protection of territorial minorities at a macro-regional level. The fifth part gives an overview on the European Roma policy and the sixth section looks at best practices in Europe as far as protection of Roma is concerned: lessons can be learned, in this respect, from Slovenia and Sweden. The level of protection will be analysed at both theoretical and empirical level, through the help of the results of a small scale research carried out among minority members.
%K minority
%K Roma
%K EU
%K policies
%K protection
%U http://www.ier.ro/documente/rjea_vol12_no4/RJEA_2012_vol12_no4_art_6.pdf