Europe's Grey Zone – the Roma Paradox

The continued and enhanced discrimination against Roma in the EU is a result of a power-imbalance (grey zone) between EU institutions and Member States. The ‘Freedom of Movement’ policy has had an unwanted effect on state sovereignty resulting in more strict national integration and inclusion policies in Member States – based on the belief that ‘uncontrolled movement’ is a threat to state sovereignty. Roma, who commonly pursuit a nomadic life excluded from society - end up being pitched back and forth as an issue between EU institutions and Member States. To address the Roma issue one inevitably must address the tension of two clashing politics;

1) The idea of sovereignty, infiltrated in Member State politics/structure - which apparently is resulting in some form of unwillingness to comply with EU guidelines for integration and inclusion.

2) The lack of legal means by the EU to act as the intended supra-national body – a power to oblige Member States to act in line with EU integration and inclusion policies.

The Roma matter represents the 'fine line' between where state politics stop and EU politics start. Namely, to discuss the situation of Roma in the EU is ultimately to discuss the political and legal structure of the Union, as the traditional idea of sovereignty prevents EU from meeting its united goals.