The European Commission issued a statement on Friday in memory of the 81th anniversary of the tragic events that unfolded at the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp on 2 August 1944.
On that day, over 4,300 Sinti and Roma children, women, and men were taken from the barracks under the cover of darkness and led to their death in the gas chambers by SS guards. 500,000 Roma were killed during the Holocaust - a genocide that claimed millions of innocent lives and tore apart families, communities, and cultures across Europe.
In a joint statement, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, together with Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu and Commissioner Hadja Lahbib, wrote that we “unequivocally reaffirm our commitment to honour the memory of Roma and Sinti victims and ensure their suffering is never forgotten, overlooked or diminished”.
Referring to the situation today, they added that the EU stands “united against the discrimination and antigypsyism that continue to pose a serious threat to Roma communities". They also reaffirmed their pledge to preserve the memory of Roma Holocaust through education, remembrance, and the fight against all forms of Holocaust denial and distortion.
According to the statement, "the European Commission and EU Member States have committed to combat hatred, discrimination and prejudice against Romani people that was at the root cause of the Roma Holocaust and other atrocities committed against Roma communities throughout history, and that continues to fuel exclusion, violence, and inequality in Europe today".
"This is a core objective of the EU Roma Strategic Framework 2020-2030 in pursuing the realisation of Roma equality, inclusion and participation at both European and national level."
“The Roma Holocaust still haunts Europe,” commented Annamária Pšenáková, communication officer at the European Roma Grassroots Organisations (ERGO) Network. “Antigypsyism did not end in 1945. It continues in new forms, in new places, every day.”
“We are experiencing sudden forced evictions that leave Roma families homeless; we witness police brutality targeting our communities without consequence; school segregation that traps our children and denies them the same learning opportunities; hate speech and online attacks that spread fear.”
“All of this is happening because of antigypsyism, which is not just prejudice but systemic racism rooted in Europe’s history. Remembering must be more than mourning. It must be resistance. Across Europe, Roma communities are speaking up. Each year, Roma youth return to Auschwitz to honour the dead and speak for the living.”
Population figures are uncertain but according to the most quoted estimates, 10-12 million Roma are living in the EU and the candidate countries. The Commission has put in place a Roma Strategic framework but Roma continue to face high levels of discrimination and serious challenges in accessing equal rights and services in housing, education, employment and health care.
The latest report on the implementation of the national Roma strategic frameworks was published in September 2024. The report highlights that more work is needed to recognise antigypsyism and implement effective measures to prevent and eliminate it in the long term. The next such Commission report is due in 2026.
The Commission presented recently its proposal for next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the long-term EU budget for 2028 and 2034. The largest heading and almost half of the MFF is the National and Regional Partnerships. The new partnership plans should among others contribute to promote equal opportunities for all across all Member States, regions and sectors.
14% of the national allocations will have to finance reforms and investments that enhance skills, fight poverty, promote social inclusion and foster rural areas. Support to the EU and National Roma Strategic Frameworks would be included here but is not mentioned in the proposal. The Commission did not reply to a request for comment on the funding.
In a position paper on protecting Roma inclusion in the next EU budget, ERGO wrote that decades of underinvestment in marginalised communities must be reversed. To meet the EU’s 2030 targets and uphold the European Pillar of Social Rights, Roma inclusion must be a clear, cross-cutting priority in the next MFF.
