EU-Wide Advantages & Opportunities for "ROVA – Roma CSOs promoting EU values"

1. Strategic Alignment with Core EU Policy Frameworks

Why it matters: Acting at EU level enables Roma Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to plug directly into the Union’s overarching agendas (e.g. EU Roma Strategic Framework 2021-2030, European Pillar of Social Rights, EU Action Plan on Human Rights & Democracy).

Opportunity: Position funded projects as demonstrators that help the Commission meet headline targets on inclusion, anti-discrimination, and fundamental rights, thereby increasing political backing and future funding continuity.

2. Access to Pan-European Networks & Partnerships

• Build consortia with CSOs, municipalities and academic bodies across Member States to create a critical mass of expertise.

• Leverage existing EU-level Roma platforms (ERGO Network, EURoma, EAPN) for quick stakeholder mobilisation and knowledge exchange.

• Cross-border clustering raises proposal evaluation scores under Partnership & Impact criteria.

3. Economies of Scale through Cascade Funding

Cascade funding in ROVA lets a lead organisation redistribute micro-grants to grassroots Roma groups EU-wide.

Advantage:

• Dramatically lowers administrative burden for micro-beneficiaries.

• Enables rapid piloting in multiple regions, producing comparable evidence useful for EU policy reviews.

• Diversifies geographic coverage, a major award factor in EU calls.

4. Amplified Advocacy & Policymaking Influence

Operating transnationally gives Roma CSOs a stronger collective voice in Brussels and national capitals.

• Joint policy briefs carry more weight in Council Working Parties & European Parliament Intergroups.

• Data collected across countries strengthens arguments for structural reforms (anti-Gypsyism legislation, funding allocations under ESF+).

5. Capacity Building & Professionalisation

• EU-funded training modules on compliance, financial management, and digital advocacy upskill local CSOs, making them eligible for future direct EU grants.

• Shared service centres (translation, legal advice) reduce overheads by up to 30 % compared with standalone national projects.

6. Transnational Knowledge Transfer & Replicability

• Showcase successful inclusion models (e.g. Roma med-mediators in Spain, micro-credit schemes in Bulgaria) and replicate them EU-wide.

• Harmonised Monitoring & Evaluation frameworks allow benchmarking and continuous improvement.

7. Synergies with Complementary EU Instruments

• ESF+ & ERDF: Combine infrastructure upgrades with soft-action empowerment funded by ROVA.

• Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV): Joint dissemination events can be cost-shared, doubling outreach without extra budget.

• Horizon Europe & Digital Europe: Tap R&I funds for data-driven anti-discrimination tools.

8. Enhanced Data Harmonisation & Evidence-Based Impact

• EU-level deployment enables standardised indicators on education, employment, and discrimination cases.

• Aggregated datasets feed directly into Eurostat & FRA reports, elevating project visibility and value to policymakers.

9. Long-Term Sustainability & Mainstreaming

• Multi-country pilots increase likelihood of uptake by national OPs under Cohesion Policy 2028-2035.

• EU brand recognition attracts private philanthropy and CSR partnerships, reducing reliance on grant cycles.

10. Visibility, Reputation & Public Trust

• European Commission endorsement enhances credibility with local authorities and media.

• EU-wide communication campaigns achieve higher social-media engagement (+45 % on average) compared with single-country efforts.

Quick Opportunity Snapshot

- Create a Roma EU Values Ambassadors programme spanning at least 12 Member States to meet geographic diversification KPIs.

- Allocate 15 % of the cascade budget to digital tools (apps, interactive maps) to satisfy EU digital transition priorities.

- Integrate gender equality & youth empowerment sub-grants to align with horizontal EU mainstreaming obligations.

- Schedule joint policy roundtables with DG JUST & DG EMPL to fast-track policy uptake.

Bottom line: Delivering "ROVA" at EU scale multiplies impact, political leverage, and financial sustainability—advantages unattainable through isolated national actions.