The evaluation covers all European Union (EU) external action support to IPA Roma inclusion projects in the Western Balkans and Türkiye between 2016 and 2023. The main objectives of this assignment are to: i) provide an independent and evidence-based assessment of the EU's past and current external action support in the area of Roma inclusion; and ii) provide lessons learnt and recommendations at EU level to inform ongoing and future decision-making in improving current and future EU strategies, programmes and actions on Roma inclusion.
The evaluation is centred around three main thematic areas:
- Civil rights (registration, data collection, monitoring, reporting, fight against discrimination and antigypsyism);
- Economic and social rights (health, employment, education and housing, including access to public services);
- Roma inclusion in governments' green and digital agendas.
Additionally, the evaluation addresses broader cross-cutting issues such as human rights, the need to ensure appropriate treatment for vulnerable groups including children, fight against environmental poverty and climate change, social inclusion and gender equality.
The analysis covers both spending and non-spending actions and examines all funding mechanisms and modalities of implementation used under IPA II and III.