On 27 November, the European Parliament gave the new College of Commissioners a green light, clearing the path for the European Commission to begin its work on 1 December.

A key takeaway from Dan Jørgensen’s hearing at the European Parliament on November 5, where he presented himself for the position of Commissioner for Energy and Housing, was his commitment to relying heavily on dialogue before launching the first EU Affordable Housing Plan. Housing Europe counts on this as the plan is expected to mobilise pan-European investments, re-skill the workforce, enhance knowledge-sharing, and reform State Aid to stimulate social housing investments.

MEPs raised urgent concerns, with Gabriele Bischoff (S&D, Germany) asking how Jørgensen would close the €57 billion investment gap and curb speculation. Jørgensen pointed to the EIB investment platform, increased Cohesion Funds, and State Aid reform. Brigitte van den Berg (Renew Europe, Netherlands) called for State Aid reform by 2025, which Jørgensen committed to starting promptly with Executive Vice-President Ribera.

Jørgensen balanced EU and national responsibilities on housing systems, noting that while financialisation remains a concern, solutions like social housing quotas in new developments are national efforts. Short-term rentals also emerged as a key issue, with MEPs, including Leila Chaibi (The Left, France) and Gordan Bosanac (Greens/EFA, Croatia), highlighting their impact on affordability. Jørgensen agreed on the need for more action but stressed the EU’s need for stronger regulatory powers.

“Homelessness is a complex phenomenon, but we can conquer it,” Roxana Mînzatu, the Commission’s Executive Vice-President for People, Skills, and Preparedness, said during her 3-hour interview. She committed to linking the first-ever European Affordable Housing Plan with the Anti-Poverty Strategy to address rising prices, including for those in extreme poverty. Mînzatu emphasised that the Plan would tackle root causes, including age, gender, geographic situation or energy poverty, transport insecurity, or a lack of basic services or housing. She also pledged to advocate for social criteria in public procurement, working closely with Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy, Stéphane Séjourné.

As we continue to engage in shaping the future of housing in Europe, our 20 actions for a New Housing Paradigm remain spot-on.