On Thursday 30 January, at the end of the inaugural meeting of the Special Committee on the Housing Crisis in the European Union (HOUS), which she will be chairing, Italian Socialist Irene Tinagli reported “truly worrying” data on the difficulties Europeans are experiencing in finding affordable housing.
Housing is “not just a market”, it is an issue that has an impact on people’s quality of life and the cohesion of society, said Ms Tinagli, referring to the difficult situation of many Europeans who spend “almost half their income on paying for their home, whether it be a mortgage or rent”.
Operating for one year, the HOUS special committee will aim to gain an in-depth understanding of how housing markets work in the Member States, potentially by inviting stakeholders such as the major short-term accommodation rental platforms.
Our next objective will be to “find common responses” at European level, said Ms Tinagli.
In addition to the Italian Socialist MEP, the Bureau of the HOUS Committee is made up of the following MEPs, in order of vice-chairship: Dirk Gotink (EPP, Dutch), Vicent Marzà Ibáñez (Greens/EFA, Spanish), Ciaran Mullooly (Renew Europe, Irish) and Regina Doherty (EPP, Irish).
More information on the HOUS special committee: https://aeur.eu/f/fb9 (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)