Europe has failed to get a grip on the around 10 million Roma, who live within the European Union. Brussels is pumping billions into projects to improve the lives of the continent’s largest minority. In spite of this, Roma remains a headache dossier in European member states.

In France, police broke up Roma camps up and down the country this summer. At least 8100 Roma were put on a plane to Romania and Bulgaria, the countries where they originate from, with a cheque in their hands. Opponents to President Nicolas Sarkozy’s harsh policies called the operation “deportations”. President Sarkozy, supported by a large part of the population, thinks Romania and Bulgaria should do more to look after their returning citizens.

The countries are given a lot of European money to do just this. The European Social Fund invests 17.5 billion euros in 'vulnerable groups' in Europe. The lion’s share, more than 13 billion over a period of six years, goes to Roma. "That is an awful lot," says a Brussels researcher who looked into the amounts paid out.

Self control
The money which flows to agencies in East Europe is extensively checked by the European Commission. But on the subject of how the money is finally spent in, for example, Romania “ is up to the Romanians themselves” says a source within the commission.

"The chance that the money is used for other purposes, is a constant risk," says the Romanian MEP Renate Weber.

Her Dutch colleague Dennis de Jong of the Socialist Party goes further: a large proportion of European money, intended for Roma integration projects in East Europa, “goes missing” . The European Auditor has been warning for some time that it is impossible to vouch for a lot of that money. It is often a question of corruption."

Political correctness
The political correctness with which West European politicians speak about the problems of Roma, doesn't hamper discussions in East European politics. Most East Europeans are incredibly discriminatory towards Roma. Hungarian, Czech and Bulgarian social workers are adament: it is evident that Roma are disadvantaged, but what role do Roma themselves play?

"They are responsible for their own negative image," say many people running Roma projects. Their experience is that the Roma are not particularly motivated to change their predicament.

Meanwhile, planeloads of Chinese, Vietnamese and Indians fly into Romania every day to replace the Romanians who go to work in West European countries. An absurd situation thinks Ms Weber. The Asians are "cheaper and more disciplined workers. While the Roma reject this imposed discipline."

She thinks there is a lot of discrimination on the Romanian labour market. Ms Weber: "Romanian employers prefer to take on Chinese or Vietnamese workers."

On Monday, integration ministers from six EU member states will meet in Paris to discuss a tough deportation policies. President Sarkozy has only invited countries which take a hard line. The Netherlands is not one of them.