Roma in Austria:
There is no reliable data available on the size of Roma in Austria. Still, according to estimates by the Council of Europe, the number of Roma is believed to be between 20,000 and 50,000, but some estimations by representatives of non-governmental organisations go up to 150,000. All those estimates lack an empirical basis. There is little research and data available about the situation of Roma in Austria.
In Austria, Roma are recognised as a national minority since 1993. This status is limited to the so-called ‘autochthonous’ Roma and Sinti, which have been living in the country from the 15th century onwards (in particular Burgenland-Roma, Sinti, Lovara). Other Roma communities, who have migrated to Austria since the 1960s, do not enjoy this status. Roma organisations agree in their estimations that the latter represent the vast majority of Roma in Austria today.
Key problems:
The policy on Roma integration in Austria evolved and was extended in the last years, as well as in efforts from federal authorities, as seen also in the number of acting organisations and the availability of public funding dedicated to Roma integration. However, there is much more to be done to improve the situation of Roma in Austria. The new 2021 strategy has a strong focus on fighting antigypsyism, education, woman, and youth; but unfortunately leaves out the areas of health and housing. Furthermore, there is a need of providing access to mainstream programmes that are not explicitly targeted on Roma.
Austria’s Roma Strategy (Federal Chancellery of Austria, 2021, the strategy and related documents in German and English)
RCM Coordinator:
RCM coalition members:
RCM 2 (2021-2025) reports:
Roma Civil Monitor (2022) Civil society monitoring report on the quality of the national strategic framework for Roma equality, inclusion, and participation in Austria. ENGLISH – GERMAN
Poster presenting main findings of the report (2022):

RCM 1 (2017-2020) reports:
Roma Civil Monitor (2017) Civil society monitoring report on implementation of the national Roma integration strategies in Austria: Focusing on structural and horizontal preconditions for successful implementation of the strategy. ENGLISH – GERMAN
Roma Civil Monitor (2018) Civil society monitoring report on implementation of the national Roma integration strategy in Austria: Assessing the progress in four key policy areas of the strategy. ENGLISH – GERMAN
Roma Civil Monitor (2020) Civil society monitoring report on implementation of the national Roma integration strategy in Austria: Identifying blind spots in Roma inclusion policy. ENGLISH – GERMAN
Roma Civil Monitor 2017-2020 country fiche: Austria
Non-RCM resources on Roma in Austria
Universität Wien (2022) SENSIRO – Study for the Evaluation of the national Strategy for the Inclusion of Roma in Austria. (in German)