A New Housing Paradigm for Europe gets backing from MEPs in Strasbourg
What was in there for housing at the last EU plenary session before the elections?
Strasbourg, France , 25 April 2024 | Published in Economy, Social, Future of the EU & Housing
Our call to establish a new Task Force led by a European Commission Vice-President who ensures that EU policymaking embraces a new housing paradigm and the need for a transformative fund for socially responsible renovations resonated with Members of the European Parliament.
EU leaders from various political backgrounds came together to push for meaningful change in Europe's housing landscape at Housing Europe's working breakfast, co-organised with the Left Group, during the last plenary session in Strasbourg.
“Stop with the dogma and put social emergency at the centre, ensure that you renovate poorly insulated housing,” Leila Chaibi from the The Left in the European Parliament stressed. MEP Ciarán Cuffe insisted that Europe must tackle the financialisation of housing, do more on short-term lettings, disseminate best practices, and to him, the real ask is to have a European Housing Fund.
According to the champion for decent and affordable housing at EU level in the past 5 years, Kim van Sparrentak from The Greens/EFA in the European Parliament, a "European Housing Crisis response plan should increase investment in public and social housing, adapting State Aid rules, dedicating a new Housing Fund under the next Multiannual Financial Framework, boosting renovation and construction and very importantly, tackling evictions caused by renovation."
Housing Europe's Secretary-General, Sorcha Edwards emphasised that there has been a dis-joint between fit for 55 at EU level and the housing crisis at local level. The energy transition should encompass social housing delivery in the spirit of the European Affordable Housing Consortium, SHAPE-EU.
Laurent Ghekiere, a Chair of the Housing Europe Observatory called on MEPs to back the movement for a fair energy transition through a transformative fund that harmonises existing tools, ear-marking yearly for socially responsible renovations. He also insisted that an annual summit would help to track progress.
Tim Wolters referring to the Fit for 55 package, pointed out that in addition to the legislative clarity, the implementation of the new rules must ensure that all the efforts the EU is making are not to the detriment of ordinary households.
Diana Yordanova, Communications Director of Housing Europe said that the stakes are too high for partisan politics. She called for more awareness of the impact that housing has on people's lives and challenging the stigma.
Our team also addressed The Left group of the European Parliament at the last meeting of the party. We have also interviewed MEPs, asking them to define the new housing paradigm. Follow our social media channels to stay tuned.