On 18 March, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) adopted an opinion on housing at the request of the Cyprus Presidency of the EU Council, according to a press release on Monday 30 March.
Drafted by Austrian Thomas Kattnig, the opinion urges the European Commission to champion “a right to adequate and affordable housing in EU primary law, an in-depth reform of energy market organisation, sufficient funding and a stronger focus on young people, families and sustainability”.
The EESC calls for landlords of homes heated by fossil fuels to bear part of the carbon tax applicable to those homes to protect tenants from excessive rent increases due to costs being passed on. It wants housing costs not to exceed 25% of a household’s disposable income.
In the case of services of general economic interest (SGEI), issues relating to the definition of target groups and income checks should be left to the discretion of the Member States. An expanded and clearly defined exemption in State aid rules is necessary to safeguard public social housing models.
Further information: https://aeur.eu/f/le4 (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)