In a resolution adopted by an overwhelming majority (647 votes in favour, 13 against and 32 abstentions) on Tuesday 24 November, the European Parliament calls for the European Union and its Member States to end homelessness by 2030.
MEPs therefore call on the Commission to make this a European objective and to make it a priority in the framework of the action plan on the European pillar of social rights expected at the beginning of 2021.
The EU should also develop a common framework definition with consistent indicators on homelessness in order to better assess the extent of homelessness at European and national level. They thus expect better use of the ‘European Semester’ budget process.
In addition, MEPs call on the Commission to develop a European framework for national homelessness strategies. They believe that Member States should adopt the “housing first principle”, based on good practice in some Member States.
“EU Parliament adopted resolution on homelessness with overwhelming majority of 95% of MEPs! A great encouragement for Nicolas Schmit [European Commissioner for Employment and Social Rights, editor’s note] to turn EU Collaboration Platform on Homelessness – to be launched 6/2021 – into ambitious EU initiative”, welcomed Freek Spinnewijn, Director of the European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless (FEANTSA), via Twitter.
While this resolution was carried by the Committee on Petitions, the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) is expected to adopt an own-initiative report on the subject under the leadership of Kim van Sparrentak (Greens/EFA, the Netherlands) on Monday.
Parliament has been pressing the von der Leyen Commission to take action against homelessness since the beginning of its mandate (see EUROPE 12403/17). In June, Mr Schmit had urged Member States to take up the issue (see EUROPE 12511/35). (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)