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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.

The EU identifies and presents itself as an organisation founded on 'fundamental values' and as a defender and guardian of fundamental rights. The development of this 'fundamental rights myth' 1 (Smismans, 2010) has taken place against a broader background of the globalization of human rights discourse (Smismans, 2010; Stychin, 2004). The discourse of fundamental values has also increasingly become the driving narrative of the EU's foreign policy, including the Enlargement and Neighbourhood policies. Article 3(5) clarifies that 'In its relations with the wider world, the [European] Union shall uphold and promote its values and interests and contribute to the protection of its citizens. It shall contribute to […] the protection of human rights.' Article 49 makes respect for the so-called founding values-'respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights' (Art. 2 TEU)-a precondition for EU membership. In recent years, LGBT rights have become part and parcel of this fundamental rights myth (Ayoub and Paternotte 2014a, p.3): being 'gay-friendly' has now become a symbol for