Population of France in 2008 = 62.25 million 400,000 Roma in France today i.e. about 0.65%

1. There are 10 million Roma in EuropeAccording to a report by the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe)

2. Population of France in 2008 = 62.25 million400,000 Roma in France today i.e. about 0.65%

3. SCHENGEN FREE TRADE AREASCHENGEN AGREEMENT SIGNED JUNE 1985

4. Key rules of Schengen framework • Removal of checks on persons at the internal borders; • A common set of rules applying to people crossing the external borders of the EU Member States; • Harmonization of the conditions of entry and of the rules on visas for short stays; • Enhanced police cooperation (including rights of cross-border surveillance and hot pursuit); • Stronger judicial cooperation through a faster extradition system and transfer of enforcement of criminal judgments; • Establishment and development of the Schengen Information System (SIS) = allows national border control and judicial authorities to obtain information on persons or objects.

5. 2004 EU Directive on Free Movement • European citizens have the right to enter, reside and remain in the territory of any other Member State for a period of up to three months simply by presenting a valid passport or national identity card: no other formality is required. If they intend to remain for a period exceeding three months, a residence permit must be obtained. The conditions for granting a residence permit depend on the status of the citizen (employed or self-employed person, student, retired or inactive person). • Any EU citizen can take up an economic activity in another Member State either as an employed or self-employed person. In this case, he/she will be issued a residence permit by simply presenting an identity document (passport or ID) and proof of employment or self-employment. • If a citizen wants to reside in another Member State without exercising any activity or to study, he/she can do so provided he/she can prove (and in the case of students, declare) that he/she has sufficient financial resources not to become a burden for the host Member State's social assistance system and that he/she is covered by a sickness insurance policy. He/she must also prove that he/she has sufficient financial resources and sickness insurance for each member of his/her family who is entitled to reside with him/her. • Family members, irrespective of their nationality, have the right to accompany and establish themselves with a European citizen who is residing in the territory of another Member State. Family members who can enjoy rights under Community law include the spouse, minor (under 21) or dependent children, and dependent ascendants, though in the case of students only the spouse and dependent children enjoy this right. If the family members are not EU citizens, they may be required to hold an entry visa by the Member State where they intend accompany the EU citizen. They shall be granted this visa free of charge and with all facilities by that Member State.

6. Romania and Bulgaria • Both countries are members of EU (since 2007) but not yet members of Schengen Agreement • Under the 2004 EU Directive of Free movement citizens of Romania and Bulgaria have right to move freely throughout Europe • Their citizens have the right to enter France but they must have work or residency permits as per the 2004 Directive • Nine other EU states also have similar restrictions • Most non-French Roma are considered by French officials to be in France illegally • 2014 – Complete freedom of movement for Romania and Bulgaria

7. Official reasons for French clampdown on Roma • Source of illegal trafficking • Profoundly shocking living standards • Exploitation of children for begging • Prostitution • Crime

8. A Roma camp in France and Roma being expelled

9. Time Line • 16 July – French police shoot and kill a 22 year old French Roma (Luigi Duquenet) because he drove through a checkpoint • 18 July – Dozens of French Roma attack a police station, burn cars, hack down trees and pillage shops in Saint Aignan (Loire Valley) • Nicolas Sarkozy calls an emergency ministerial meeting and it is decided to dismantle 300 illegal camps and squats within 3 months • 28 July - Decision is taken to evict non-French Roma (mainly Romanians & Bulgarians) from France providing them with 300 Euros and a free flight out of the country • 5 August – French Government directive from Hortefeux to Police chiefs declaring, among other things, that “The President of the Republic fixed precise objectives on July 28 for the evacuation of illicit camps: 300 camps or illicit implantation must be evacuated in 3 months, in priority those of the Roma” • 31 August – French Immigration Minister, Eric Besson and EU counterpart Pierre Lellouche meet with EU commissioners Viviane Reding and Cecilia Malstreom • Lellouche points out that 4-billion-euro yearly net EU contribution to Romania, "not more than 80 million" were being spent on Roma-targeted social schemes • 4 September – Demonstrations in France in defense of human rights and against Sarkozy’s policy • 6 September – European Roma Rights Centre files appeal against deportation of Roma from Denmark • 14 September - EU Commissioner, Viviane Reding compares the Sarkozy government’s deportation of the Roma to deportations under the Vichy, during German occupation of France (1940-44) • 17 September – European leaders disavow Reding’s statement; she then declares that the comparison was not apt • 18 September – 1000 foreign Roma already expelled • 27 September – Bulgarian Minister of the Interior makes a huge gaffe by declaring that Roma communities are incubators for crime • 29 September – The European Commission decide to start legal action against France for non-compliance of EU rules regarding free movement of EU citizens. However, the EU stopped short of accusing France of discrimination

10. Leading personalities • Nicolas Sarkozy (French president) • Brice Hortefeux (French Minister of the Interior) • Bernard Kouchner (French Minister of Foreign and European Affairs) • José Manuel Barroso (President of the European Commission) • Viviane Reding (EU Commissioner for Justice) • TsvetanTsvetanov (Bulgarian Minister of Interior)