Western Balkan governments and Germany have committed to a work plan for those classed as “vulnerable” groups, such as Roma.
They formally named Roma as a target group for active labour market measures.
The Roma Foundation for Europe, whose close collaboration with the Montenegrin government secured the inclusion, welcomed the move and has now called on participating governments to “move from commitment to funded implementation.”
Monday’s Ministerial is the first time ministers of labour from the Western Balkans Six have gathered under the Berlin Process framework, a platform for high-level cooperation between the Western Balkan states and European partners to support the region’s EU integration path.
The Work Plan covers ten areas of cooperation and runs until May 2028.
Its adoption marks a shift in the Berlin Process from political declarations to sectoral commitments — with line ministries now taking direct ownership.
The Roma employment entry commits governments to exchanging good practices on employment programmes for vulnerable groups, with Roma as a national minority explicitly named alongside women, older workers and people with disabilities.
Commenting, Zeljko Jovanovic, president of the Roma Foundation for Europe, said, “The economic case is clear: closing the Roma employment gap in the Western Balkans would generate between €680 million and €2.08 billion in productivity gains per year across the six countries, with fiscal returns — taxes and reduced social assistance — of €139 million to €481 million annually.
“The region cannot afford to leave that on the table,” said Jovanovic.
Western Balkan economies, including Albania, a frontrunner to join the EU by 2030, face growing labour shortages and ageing workforces.
At the same time, 56 per cent of Roma aged 15–24 are not in education, employment or training.
Roma are already citizens, already speak local languages and are rooted in local communities.
Activating this workforce is not a question of charity — it is a condition for the region’s economic competitiveness and its EU integration path.
The Berlin Process Work Plan, for the first time, treats it as such.
Approximately 66,000 formal jobs need to be created across the Western Balkans to close the Roma employment gap — a figure governments acknowledged at the Tirana Ministerial last year. The Work Plan is the framework. Funded active labour market programmes are the next step.
The Ministerial falls less than a week before Roma Resistance Day on 16 May — the date Roma communities across Europe mark the armed uprising against deportation in Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1944. The timing is a reminder that Roma are not only a community shaped by historical persecution but an active force in Europe’s economic and political future.
Jovanovic added, “For the first time, ministers of labour in the Western Balkans have put Roma employment on the same table as skills, social dialogue and labour rights where they belong.
“This is not a symbolic gesture — it is a formal government commitment under a framework that feeds directly into EU accession. The region needs this workforce.
“Now governments must fund the programmes to reach it.”
The meeting’s outcomes reflects what the Work Plan already contains: Roma are named as a target group for active labour market measures. That is seen as a signal that political will is catching up with the economic evidence. The next step is funded implementation — beginning with programmes that go beyond temporary public works and reach Roma communities in sustainable employment.
Jovanovic: “Governments have made the technical commitment; the political conclusions should reflect it. We call on Berlin Process participants to close that gap.”
The Roma Foundation for Europe is a Brussels-based foundation working to “strengthen Roma agency and build a resilient Europe.”
Comments
20 responses to “Roma Campaigners Applaud "New Commitment" to Inclusion”
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Looks like the Western Balkans have finally discovered that having Roma on the payroll might just help their economies—who knew? 🤔 Let’s hope this “commitment” doesn’t end up gathering dust like last year’s Christmas decorations! 🎄
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Oh, brilliant! A “new commitment” to inclusion just in time for the Roma Resistance Day—because who wouldn’t want to drop a few well-timed promises while the spotlight is on, right? 🙄 It’s almost as if they’re trying to win a gold medal in the “We Care” Olympics!
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Oh joy, another grand “commitment” from our esteemed leaders! As if we needed more promises to add to the pile of unfulfilled ones gathering dust in the corner of the EU office! 😂
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Oh, look who’s finally acknowledging the Roma! 🤦♂️ It’s like realizing that you need to water the plants after they’re already wilting—better late than never, eh?
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Looks like the Western Balkans are finally putting Roma in the spotlight—who knew it took a Ministerial meeting to realize they might, just maybe, be worth a bit more than a footnote in a policy document? 🤔 Just hope the “funded implementation” isn’t as mythical as a unicorn in a suit! 🦄💼
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Seems like the Western Balkans have finally discovered that including Roma in the workforce might actually be a smart move—who would have thought leveraging all that untapped potential could, you know, actually benefit the economy? 💼🙄 Let’s just hope this “commitment” turns into more than just a fancy piece of paper by 2028!
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Oh brilliant, a “new commitment” to inclusion! Because nothing says progress like putting vulnerable groups on a fancy work plan while the clock ticks down to 2028. 😏💼
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Just what we needed, another “commitment” to inclusivity while the bureaucrats decide who gets the crumbs. Honestly, if action followed words, we’d have solved world hunger by now! 😂💼
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This whole “new commitment” to Roma inclusion sounds like the classic European move: lots of chatter and handshakes, but let’s see if they can actually turn the words into something that resembles action. 🤷♂️ You know, like getting a taxi in Paris – always a promise, but good luck finding one when you need it! 🚕
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Look at these ministers finally getting their heads out of the sand! 😏 A grand “new commitment” to inclusion – should we start a betting pool on how long this will last before it’s all just hot air again? 🥴
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Lovely to see our Western Balkan pals finally rolling up their sleeves for the Roma community—who knew inclusion could be on the agenda between coffee breaks? 😏 Let’s just hope “funded implementation” isn’t just another fancy phrase for “we’ll get to it after the next summit.”
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Oh, look at that, finally a plan for the Roma! It only took how many years and a million meetings for the ministers to realize that activating this workforce might actually be good for business? 💼
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Isn’t it just delightful when politicians finally figure out that including the Roma in the workforce might actually help the economy? 🤔 I mean, who knew that, right? 💁♂️
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Looks like the ministers finally discovered that Roma are more than just a footnote in the bureaucratic handbook. Who knew inclusion could actually be beneficial? 🙄💼
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So, a “new commitment” to inclusion, eh? Sounds like the Western Balkans are finally waking up to the idea that Roma folks might just be more than a footnote in their bureaucratic novels. 🤷♂️
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Oh, brilliant! Finally, a “new commitment” to inclusion—because nothing says progress quite like a fancy plan that’s been gathering dust since the last world cup. 😂 Keep those promises flowing, lads; we might just reach 2028 with a few actual results!
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Imagine that, after all these years, they finally decided to throw a bone to the Roma – not just any bone, mind you, but a carefully crafted work plan! Must be the EU’s way of saying, “Don’t worry, we see you… kinda. Now, let’s talk about funding that optimism, shall we? 😏
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Looks like the Western Balkans have finally discovered that including Roma in the workforce isn’t just a ‘nice-to-have’ but rather a ‘we-can’t-afford-not-to-have’! Who knew a bit of inclusion could be so economically savvy? 🤷♂️💰
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Oh, fantastic! Finally, a “commitment” that sounds like a promise from a politician just before an election. Just what we need—more plans that probably end up gathering dust while the Roma keep waiting for their turn at the economic buffet. 🍽️
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Incredible! So, after years of chatting and patting backs, we finally have a ‘work plan’ for the Roma. Who knew all it took was a fancy meeting and a bit of EU goodie-bag charm? 😂💼
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