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UNIUNEA EUROPEANA

Delegatia Comisiei Europene din Romania

Bucharest, 26 January 2001
PRESS RELEASE

EU launches Fund for Roma projects

The European Union launches today The Partnership Fund for the Roma in
Romania, through one of its Phare programmes. Local public institutions and
NGOs with relevant experience are invited to apply to the 900,000 Euro fund
no later than 16th March 2001. Interested organizations can apply for a
minimum of 3,000 Euro and a maximum of 70,000 Euro/project with a duration
that would not exceed the end of 2001.

The aim of the The Partnership Fund for the Roma is to sponsor partnerships
between Local Public Institutions (e.g. schools, councils, etc) and NGOs
which have experience in working with the Roma minority. The underlying
philosophy of the fund is to get the local public authorities fully engaged
in the resolution of problems in their Roma communities - in partnership
with local Roma representatives.  These partnerships will hopefully become
practical mechanisms for solving  inter ethnic problems

The Partnership Fund for the Roma is seeking innovative ideas from the
community level (see guidelines for details). Examples of the type of
activities to be supported are:
* pilot activities that local public authorities agree to
incorporate into their mainstream budget in the future
* income generating activities for Roma families
* activities that improve the relationship between Roma
communities and local public authorities
* activities that improve the relationship between the Roma
and the majority population in a community
* small agricultural projects that generate income
* recycling projects that become sustainable businesses under
the auspices of local government
* activities that improve the capacity of Roma associations

The Partnership Fund for the Roma is a component of EU-Phare programme
RO9803.01 (Improvement of the Roma Situation in Romania) -developed with the
Romanian government and GLAR (Roma Associations Working Group).  Another
component of this programme is the development of a national strategy (a
White Paper) for the Roma population in Romania, with the various ministers
of the Romanian government - together with representatives from GLAR.

The fund will be administered by the CRCR (Resource Center for Roma
Communities).  Forms and the guidelines for applications can be obtained
from:
* CRCR, Str Tebei 21, Cluj Napoca 3400.  Tel 064 420 280
* any of the Open Society Foundation offices in:....... 
* www.romacenter.ro  and www.infoeuropa.ro


Contact person for the media (but not applicants): Rupert Wolfe Murray, Team
Leader, Phare Roma Project, tel 095 801 896 / fax 01 222 3688 / email:
rupert@mailbox.ro