The pilot programme will work with around 90 NGOs across the European Union, with a focus on Member States with larger Roma communities and more acute challenges. (The only Member State not covered by the pilot project is Malta, as there are no Roma communities.)

The main objective of the pilot programme is to contribute to strengthening the monitoring mechanisms of the implementation of the national Roma integration strategies through systematic civil society monitoring. The value of civil society monitoring comes from the independent status and the field experience of participating NGOs. The pilot aims to enhance civil society monitoring in two key ways: by developing the policy monitoring capacities of civil society actors, and by supporting the preparation of high-quality, comprehensive annual civil society monitoring reports.

Activities of the pilot project include:

• Selection of NGOs through an open call;
• Capacity building programme for the benefit of the selected NGOs;
• Development of annual civil society monitoring reports by selected NGOs (one annual monitoring report per country);
• Provision of assistance to selected NGOs, including quality control of draft monitoring reports and preparation of a synthesis report;
• Organisation of a network of selected NGOs.

Within the context of this programme the Commission, through its awarded entities, launched a call for proposals aiming to involve 90 diverse NGOs from 27 EU member states for active participation in capacity building activities and in monitoring the implementation of the national Roma integration strategies (NRIS) in the next two to three years. The deadline for application is 19 May 2017. The call for selecting NGOs is available at www.romacivilmonitor.eu.