The European Union (EU) has a range of policy instruments, including legislation, policy coordination and funding, that can be activated with a view to promoting the social inclusion of Roma. Yet, there is widespread agreement that in spite of the surge of political attention to the issue, European policies both at the EU and national level do not seem to have touched poor Roma communities to the extent required. Hence there is an urgent need to bring together existing actors, institutional means and existing pools of experience with a view to elaborating coherent strategies and viable instruments.