Kata Tüttő, President of the European Committee of the Regions, and MEP Irene Tinagli (S&D, Italian), Chair of the European Parliament’s Special Committee on the Housing Crisis (HOUS), defended the creation of a European-level “toolbox” to help local authorities tackle the housing crisis, at a press briefing on Wednesday 4 February.
“It’s a problem with a strong local component, and the causes may differ from one town or region to another - the symptoms are very similar though”, the MEP analysed. “That’s the reason why we decided to move at the European level because we saw symptoms spreading out all over the continent and the symptoms are very worrying”.
“We are not saying that it’s fully a European responsibility. Even big cities, Rome, Paris, Barcelona, Budapest, Warsaw, Athens, big metropolitan cities are looking at Brussels for help”, added Ms Tüttő. In her view, Europe has a role to play in terms of incentives and regulation, because capital moves internationally and platforms, particularly those relating to short-term accommodation, are global. However, she pointed out that the total budget for cohesion policy over seven years remains low, particularly when compared with the annual budgets of very dynamic regions.
She also argued that housing should be considered as critical infrastructure. This is why they should be withdrawn from the market and capital markets.
Both are still awaiting the European Commission’s proposal on short-term tenancies, a key element of the ‘European Affordable Housing Plan’ presented in December (see EUROPE 13774/23).
Summing up the discussions within the HOUS Committee, Ms Tinagli mentioned the identification of good indicators that would make it possible to define areas in difficulty, in which certain forms of local regulation are authorised or justified. She also suggested making a distinction between professional and non-professional landlords, depending on whether they own a single room or a small flat, or own several, as well as introducing different types of taxation, at the discretion of the Member States. “I think we need solid instruments that are flexible enough to allow the different regions to intervene if and where needed”, she said. (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)