Today, the European Commission has launched a public consultation to assess the implementation of the first EU Roma integration strategy called EU framework for National Roma Integration Strategies up to 2020, adopted in 2011. The main aim of the Framework is to promote social and economic inclusion of Roma while at the same time fight discrimination. EU governments are in the midterm of its implementation, so with this public consultation, the Commission wants to take stock of results achieved so far and to identify areas where more needs to be done to help the Roma people. Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, Vera Jourová, said: "I want to use the consultation to identify weak points of our actions. I stand by those who are excluded or left in the margins, so I want us to make very concrete and effective steps to improve the situation of the Roma people." The public consultation will help the Commission to build a better and more efficient strategy also beyond 2020. The consultation includes questions on how European and national policies have contributed to a better integration of Roma in society. It also assesses the effectiveness of legal and funding instruments that have been put in place to support Roma inclusion half way into their implementation. All Roma and non-Roma citizens, civil society and international organisations, businesses and institutions from the EU and enlargement countries are welcomed to respond by 25 October 2017 to the public consultation.