Living conditions of Roma communities improve in the EU

Athe living conditions of Roma communities in the European Union improved between 2023 and 2025, particularly in access to health and education, according to a report released today by the European Commission.

In Portugal, the report on the EU Strategic Framework for Gypsies, which covers the period between June 2023 and March 2025, highlights the promotion of “training actions for health professionals on structural inequalities and barriers that contribute to a lower life expectancy among the Roma population”, among the measures implemented by the Member States “to improve the health of the Roma population and their access to health care and social services”.

On the EU average, severe material deprivation among Roma, for example, decreased from 62% in 2016 to 37% in 2024, while the proportion of young Roma working, studying or following training increased from 38% to 53%.

Housing deprivation decreased from 61% to 47%. The percentage of gypsies with paid employment has increased from 43% to 54%, with most employment-related targets expected to be achieved by 2030 if current progress continues.

Participation in early childhood education and welcoming also increased from 42% to 53%, although it remains significantly lower than that of the general population.

The study analyses the contribution of the strategic framework to promoting equality, inclusion and participation of Roma across the EU, highlighting progress in areas such as employment, early childhood education and reception, as well as strengthening national coordination of Roma equality and inclusion policies and increasing political recognition of anti-Gypsy.

The Community Executive stresses that Member States must strengthen the implementation of their national strategic frameworks for Roma through greater institutional capacity, better coordination and monitoring and integrated intersectoral policies.

For its part, Brussels will continue to support Member States in these efforts, including through the European Social Fund, which provides around EUR 1.8 billion to finance specific interventions for marginalised communities such as Roma in 15 Member States, including Portugal, for the period 2021-2027.

The Commission will continue to monitor the comprehensive implementation of the EU Strategic Framework for Gypsies, with the next implementation report scheduled for 2028.