While the Council of the European Union continues to fine-tune draft conclusions on a European affordable housing plan, due to be adopted in December by the Employment and Social Affairs Council, the S&D Group in the European Parliament presented its own plan on Wednesday 8 October in Strasbourg.
In this 31-page document, the Social Democrat MEPs reiterate that affordable and decent housing is “a right for all, not a privilege for the few”.
Between 2010 and the second quarter of 2025, house prices in the EU rose by 60.5% and rents by 28.8%.
The S&D Group sets out 10 objectives: “- to recognise housing as a fundamental human right; - secure €300 billion in European funding for affordable and decent housing, including €100 billion in subsidies; - further regulate short-term rentals; - reform the rules on State aid to facilitate access to housing for people on low and medium incomes; - combat property speculation, in particular by regulating real estate purchases abroad; - strengthen tenants’ rights and ban family evictions; - ensuring sustainable homes for all, including a European renovation loan with clear social criteria; - eradicating homelessness and supporting vulnerable groups; - rethinking the Stability and Growth Pact to enable Member States to invest in housing; - address harmful tax rules”.
The day before, at a press event in Strasbourg, Germany’s Gabriele Bischoff had stressed the many consequences of the lack of affordable housing. She cited the example of Berlin SMEs “that are looking for qualified staff and sometimes end up finding this talent”, but then the qualified worker cannot find suitable accommodation. Conversely, large companies can buy up entire streets just to house their employees.
New draft EU Council conclusions. Member State experts meeting in a working group on 6 October examined a new compromise.
Many paragraphs are now agreed. However, a number of questions remain regarding financing, including the revision of the rules governing State aid granted to companies managing services of general economic interest (SGEI) (see EUROPE 13723/17).
The issue of speeding up the issuing of permits has not yet been finalised, nor have the aspects relating to the recommendation on combating homelessness.
The Danish Presidency of the EU Council is due to present a new draft by Thursday 23 October, ahead of the meetings of national experts on 30 October and of Member State ambassadors (Coreper) on Wednesday 19 November.
The draft dated 6 October asks the European Commission, among other things, to assess, “in the context of a possible revision of the rules on State aid for SGEI and of the General Block Exemption Regulation, the introduction of amendments allowing Member States, where necessary due to market failures, to support affordable and sustainable housing more quickly and easily”.
On homelessness, the text asks the Commission to “examine whether a proposal for a new EU Council Recommendation” would contribute to its eradication.
See the S&D Group’s position: https://aeur.eu/f/iu4 (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic with Bernard Denuit)