On Tuesday, the headquarters of the European Commission in Brussels played host to the first ever summit on the Romani people, bringing together policy-makers, representatives of human rights organizations, and members of Romani communities from across Europe. An EU report published in July concluded that the Roma continue to suffer "persistent discrimination", which requires a "joint response" from all member states.

Tuesday's event, the first step towards a "joint response", had three main objectives: raising awareness of the needs of the Romani people; identifying the most effective ways of improving their quality of life; and securing commitment for action. The conclusions to emerge from the discussions will be passed on to the EU presidency and will theoretically inform future policy.

The Roma, who live throughout the European continent, are frequently denied access to education, housing, health care and employment, and ill feeling towards Romani communities is currently increasing in a number of EU countries. Although the media often keeps quiet about Romani issues, the Roma hit the news in May, when several Romani camps on the outskirts of Naples were deliberately set on fire.

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