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Roma poverty a major issue for EU

by Dave Keating | September 16, 2008 at 03:21 am

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The first summit on Roma (gypsy) integration into the EU is being held today in Brussels. As an increasing number of Roma (gypsies) migrate from Eastern Europe to Western Europe, the EU is hoping to find ways to accomodate them with jobs when they arrive. They are hoping to create a situation in Western Europe where Roma won't face the same endemic poverty and racism that they face in Eastern Europe. However attitudes in Western Europe are also suspicious of Roma, although not to the degree found in Eastern Europe. italy recently passed a law requiring all Roma to be fingerprinted.

The European Union's freedom of movement laws mean Eastern Europe's large population of Roma (Gypsies) is now spreading west.

The effect of this influx on national economies, as well as the deep poverty of the EU's Roma, are high on the agenda as the first summit on Roma integration within the EU begins in Brussels.

Italy and Spain have received the most Roma, mainly from Romania, Bulgaria and Slovakia, where they make up more than 10% of the population.