On 12 November 2025, RESDI participated in the European Commission’s Implementation Dialogue on the EU Roma Strategic Framework, hosted by Commissioner Hadja Lahbib. At the Dialogue, we highlighted a critical gap in EU climate and social policy: the exclusion of marginalised Roma communities from the benefits of the green transition.
In our intervention, we stressed that many Roma communities live in environmentally burdened, energy-poor and often informal settlements. Because these areas are not fully captured in official statistics, thousands of families remain invisible to support schemes, including measures addressing energy poverty and climate investments that could significantly improve their living conditions.
Key recommendations we presented to the European Commission
- We emphasised the need to simplify access to EU funding at the community level.
- We called for small-scale, community-driven projects that reflect local realities.
- We encouraged the integration of environmental and energy indicators directly into national Roma strategies.
- We highlighted the importance of ensuring that the next Multiannual Financial Framework allocates targeted resources to countries and localities with significant marginalised Roma populations
The Aarhus Platform for Roma
We also introduced our joint initiative with the United Nations Environment Programme, the emerging Aarhus Platform for Roma. This platform aims to strengthen environmental rights in Roma communities by ensuring better access to environmental information, meaningful participation in decision-making and access to justice when these rights are not respected.
The Dialogue provided an important opportunity to present evidence from the field, share practical recommendations and articulate a long-term vision for making EU climate and social policies more inclusive. RESDI will continue working with European partners to ensure that Roma communities are not left behind in Europe’s green transition.