22 Amendments of Gabriele ZIMMER related to 2008/2137(INI)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital 3 a (new)
Recital 3 a (new)
– having regard to its resolution of 9 October 2008 on promoting social inclusion and combating poverty, including child poverty, in the EU1,
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas, following the enlargements of 2004 and 2007 and in the implementation of the Lisbon Strategy, it is important to meet new challenges, it is important to meet the new social challenges arising from the continuing integration process, and whereas it is right that the European Parliament should therefore concentrate particularly on the situation in Eastern and Centralcentral and south-eastern European countries,
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the conditions in which Roma communities live, their health status and their level of schooling determine their social and labour-market situation and serve as pretexts for their persistent unemployment, for social exclusion from majority societies and for racism, and whereas all this hampers improvements to the quality of life, thus preventing theRoma from exercise ofing the most fundamental human rights,
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas discrimination, increased segregation, the weakness of efforts to bring about integration, and the lack of motivation due to the hopelesscurrent situation may on the one hand increase prejudice against Roma to the point where serious conflicts occur, while on the other hand in reaction the Roma community may accept the dichotomy between the Roma and non- Roma worlds, so that - in the absence of tolerant and integrative social action - the division between them may become permanent,
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas, for numerous reasons, the special representation for the Roma's interests is not effective, while the success of Roma civil-society organisations in defending Roma interests depends on the politics of the given moment and while the legitimacy of the representation has often been called into question,
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas it is unquestionably important to acknowledge previous good practices, but whereas their validity is limited in time and area and whereas the reference to them may give rise to the illusion that 'everything is fine',
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that the socioeconomic disadvantage suffered by Roma children in practice puts early development and quality education out of their reach throughout the region; notes that these disadvantages in turn determinenegatively affect their emotional, social, physical and cognitive personal development as well as their subsequent chances on the labour market;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that education systems are selective and that although Member States are spending substantial sums on overcoming segregation, innumerable seemingly ineluctable systems accelerntuate the rise of the elite from the middle class and accentuate disparities in opportunities fordisparities in opportunities between the elite, the rising middle class and the poor who find themselves on a downward spiral, particularly the Roma;
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses that, although the proportion of Roma young people in secondary and higher education has increased, their level of qualifications still remains far below the European average; observes that, as a result of this, the Member States' economies often draw labour from third countries to make good labour shortages;
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Considers it a fact that the Roma community in some Member States particularly influences demographic processes; notes that, for instance,Notes that the proportion of Roma children in the population is high, while and that their life expectancy at birth is a full 10 years less than that of people belonging to the majority nationalitiesthe majority population;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Considers that the Member States have used substantial European Union and Member-State resources to help the long- term unemployed find work, but these have typically set in stone the existing situation; stresses that the number of long-term unemployed people and their marginalisation have grown since enlargement;
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Draws it to the attention of the Member States that this social dichotomy compels many Roma job-seekers to transfer from the legal economy to the black market, and that a European effort is needed to bring that market into the legitimate spheretransfer these employees back to legal employment with work-related and social security rights;
Amendment 128 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Supports the proposal by the EU institutions that the number of Roma working in public services should be increased; points out, however, that in order to make this possible it is necessary not only for governments to pursue personnel and educational policies which promote it but also to increase public acceptance of the principle;
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Considers that employment of Roman women should also be promoted by means of employment-friendly operation of social support systems; calls on Member States to make it possible for children from large Roma families who have not yet reached school age to have access toadopt measures which help to increase the number of Roma in children´s day care institutions even if their mother is at home with her other children; considers it desirable that labour market programmes should use this time to teach them knowledge to prepare them in the long term for work from which they can earn a living;
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Points out that the policy of drawing primarily on immigrants to provide labour takessocial and employment policies should contribute too restrictive a view; notes that it would be possible to create the largest pool of labour by activatingthe individual potentials and needs of citizens, especially those of older people, people with disabilities and poor, unskilled people, including most notably the Roma;
Amendment 152 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Notes that, among Europe's cultures, that of the Roma Roma culture is marked by a strong family tradition; observes that the image of Roma families in public opinion features an emphasis on traditional gender roles, large numbers of children, cohabitation by several generations, the tendency of relatives to live close together, and extensive cultivation of relationships, and that therefore, in European and Member- State programmes for Roma families, it is necessary to build on the strengths of this natural support network;
Amendment 155 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Endorses the opinion of the European Social and Economic Committee that Roma women have a low status in family hierarchy, are married early, often suffer domestic violence, and are often victims of prostitution and human trafficking;
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 b (new)
Paragraph 20 b (new)
20b. Considers therefore that EU and Member-State programmes for the Roma should aim at individual emancipation from traditional hierarchies and the socioeconomic independence of members of Roma communities, especially women;
Amendment 158 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Points out that Roma women's tendency to leave school early not only damages their own opportunities on the labour market but also affects the health status and schooling of their children;
Amendment 168 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Notes that Roma children are over- represented in special schools, that a large proportion of them are assigned to such schools without justification, often on account of poverty or discrimination; points out that attending special schools gives rise to difficulties in further study and in finding work and to greater inactivity, at the same time forming a burden on budgets;
Amendment 171 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Endorses the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee that the Roma community – due to the demographic characteristics of the group –households, on account of their often precarious socioeconomic situation, hasve asymmetrical access to social benefits; against the background of the prejudices which exist in this connection, stresses that social benefits are intended to counterbalance the burdens or lacks arising from individual life situation, and the commitment of looking after children and other socially useful commitments;
Amendment 178 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Considers that, as the Roma are Europe's largest minority, preserving their language and culture is a European value; dDoes not, however, endorse the idea of a stateless 'European nation', because this would discriminate against citizens of the Union for being members of an ethnic group, absolve Member States of responsibility and call into question the possibility of integration;