COOPOWER Participates in the First International Conference of the Danube Labour Market Platform for Roma Inclusion

On 16–17 October 2025, in Vienna, representatives from public institutions, civil society organizations, and Roma‑inclusion projects came together for the first international conference of the Danube Labour Market Policy Platform for Roma Inclusion — “Roma Empowerment for the Common Labour Market.” The event was hosted by the Austrian Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection.

The conference highlighted two decades of efforts to integrate Roma communities into the Danube region’s labour markets, recalling key milestones such as the European Parliament’s 2005 call for Roma inclusion and the EU Roma Strategic Framework for Equality, Inclusion and Participation.

The Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD), coordinator of the COOPOWER project, actively participated. In his presentation, Alexander Gerganov from CSD provided evidence and policy perspectives on the labour market integration of Roma in Bulgaria and the wider Danube Region. He highlighted that existing interventions are hindered by fragmented policies, low institutional trust, and limited use of data-driven programme design. To address these structural barriers, he argued for differentiated, data-based employment measures, Roma-led outreach and mediation, and the systematic integration of anti-discrimination safeguards into employment services. He also underscored the importance of regional learning and cooperation.

Speakers and experts shared best practices and lessons learned from Roma‑empowerment initiatives across the Danube region, covering topics such as job counselling, vocational training, community support, and anti-discrimination strategies.

Alexander Gerganov also spoke about COOPOWER during the conference. Thus, the conference offered valuable insights and networking opportunities, reinforcing the importance of integrating vulnerable groups into labour market policies and promoting inclusive, sustainable regional development.