Interests, Norms and Advocacy: Explaining the Emergence of the Roma onto the EU's Agenda

This article investigates a least likely case of non-governmental organization (NGO) influence on an intergovernmental organization (IGO). Specifically, it explores the puzzle of how the Roma (Gypsies)—a relatively poor, marginalized and unmobilized minority group—suddenly gained international attention and policy responses by the European Union. Based on field research and document analysis, this article connects the national, international and transnational to explain the role of NGOs, IGOs and the Roma themselves in bringing attention to the situation of the Roma in Central and Eastern Europe. The author finds that a small transnational advocacy network played a critical role, and provides both normative and practical explanations for the EU's response.