In this article we analyze an important development of policymaking in the European Union (EU) on the Roma, which has evolved in the context of the EU’s growing concern for human rights and Roma inclusion. The human rights focused approach on Roma was initially used by the European Union in the context of the EU’s enlargement process; since 2007, it has informed the EU’s internal policies on Roma. In addition, since 2007 the EU has made use of more broadly defined strategies of fostering social inclusion. Against the backdrop of a case study in the Czech Republic, the article explores the possible impact in the field and suggests some critical ways forward.

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During the 1990s, the policy towards Roma, discussed at trans-national and domestic levels, has oscillated between use of minority and human rights concepts, developmental, anti-poverty and security concepts. Th ese concepts used for analysing the situation of Roma have infl uenced not only the understanding of who Roma are, but also the understanding as to which policy measures are most appropriate for addressing their situation. Th e European Union, equipped in the pre-2004/2007 European Union (EU) accession with the leverage of EU membership and Copenhagen criteria requiring stability of minority and human rights, rule of law and institutions guaranteeing democracy in the EU accession states, has made signifi cant impact in the 2004/2007 accession phase on addressing the human rights situation of Roma. Following EU accession in 2004 and 2007 respectively, the EU was further instrumental in addressing the situation of Roma. Civil society actors have signifi cantly contributed to a shift in policy on Roma, using the international environment, typical for an exchange between inter-governmental and trans-national organisations, European institutions, non-governmental organisations, philanthropic organisations, human rights activists, states and Roma. Th is article will present some evidence of the link between civil society and the EU and point out examples of successful infl uences that civil society actors have exercised within both periods.

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