Brussels, 3 March 2025
“Check against delivery”
Good afternoon,
Let me first of all thank you for inviting me to your first meeting
Setting up a Special Committee like this, just as fact that President von der Leyen chose to give Housing as a dedicated portfolio to a Commissioner, both of those things signal to our populations that we indeed take the challenges extremely serious.
We know that the housing sector has many problems, that many people are affected in negative ways.
So, I am very please to be here and I very much look forward to our collaboration.
Let me briefly set out the approach of the Commission: why we are taking it on this task what can we do at a European level and finally, how and when we will do it.
Let’s begin with “why”, over the last 15 years or so, rents have gone up by around a quarter in real terms, and house prices are up around a half.
In 2023, around 10% of the EU population spent 40% or more of their disposable income on housing and related costs.
And perhaps most sadly of all, the latest figures we have suggest that almost 900,000 people are currently homeless in Europe. Every night in Europe, a population comparable to that of Marseille or Turin, is without a home.
These numbers, and the people behind them, are the essence of the housing crisis in Europe. And I think you will share my view: these numbers are simply unacceptable.
When nurses, fire fighters, teachers and police officers cannot afford to live in the cities that they serve, this is of course unacceptable.
It has very severe social consequences, but also directly impacts European economy, in our competitiveness: The lack of affordable homes where the jobs are impacts entry into the job market and reduces labour mobility, impacting in turn economic dynamism.
And that is why we are taking on this task. But what can we do in the Parliament and the Commission?
We know that housing is mostly the responsibility of Member States. I can just add that I used to be a member of this House for almost 10 years, from 2004 to 2013 and I don’t remember having any discussions on housing. Probably if we had had them, 20 years ago, maybe we wouldn’t be in this situation today.
But now it is high on our agenda. We acknowledge that most of the responsibility lies in Member States, regional and local authorities and of course we must respect subsidiarity. But I will also argue and I am sure that you will all agree with me that there is clearly room for Europe at the table and there is a lot of things that we can and should do.
And, it is not as if we are not doing anything already. We are already supporting housing at the EU level: for instance, EUR 21.3 billion from the Recovery Resilience Facility has been earmarked for housing reforms and investments.
But we can do more and we will do more:
We have planned to double cohesion policy investments in affordable housing; and we can mobilise public and private investment through the planned pan-European investment platform, in collaboration with the EIB and other financial partners;
I am also aware about issues caused by short-term rentals. I recognise how essential tourism is to many regions and cities. But I also hear, from many cities, in particular, those who want to prevent negative impacts on local residents, that we can do more.
The new EU regulation which comes into effect next year will bring much-needed transparency, and I am eager to listen to your thoughts on other ways in which the EU can help remedy this problem.
We can look at revising legislation, such as the current State aid rules, to see if they are unnecessarily restricting investments in affordable housing also.
We can also address the supply of housing: we can increase simplification, improve access to materials, advance technological innovation in building methods; remove obstacles in cross-border provision of services and skilled labour, and help to improve efficiency in how the existing housing stock is being used.
So in short, we can do a lot: the only question is, how and when can we do it?
First and foremost, the theme of 2025 will be outreach, engagement, and consultation. We will seek open and inclusive co-operation with the different institutions, and reach out to external stakeholders at all levels.
I am very grateful, Madame Chair, that you will host our first joint consultation event together on 24 March – with an impressive line up of speakers. I am pleased that our teams are talking about holding as many hearings together, also looking together at what studies we need to conduct.
This engagement will feed into our Affordable Housing Plan – the first of its kind – which President von der Leyen has tasked me with putting forward.
The work has already begun. Starting inside the Commission, I am working closely with my colleagues in our new Commissioners’ Group on housing. And since 1st February, I am relying also on a new Housing Task Force within the Commission.
But perhaps more importantly, the Affordable Housing Plan must be shaped with all European regions, cities, rural communities, and outermost areas.
The direct contact you have with your constituencies will be vital. I hope to hear from you, but also from citizens directly.
It will be particularly important to organise a Youth Dialogue on housing, because it seems to me that a vast number of young people are affected by this problem, so they need to have their say in the solution.
Let me stop there, as I want to hear your suggestions about how we approach these difficult talks.
With one final message: I know that the Commission cannot fix the housing crisis single-handed. But as Commissioner, I will fight, hand in hand with you, to support everyone who is impacted by this crisis.
We do not have any one silver bullet, but we do have many tools that can make a difference, to advance affordable and decent and sustainable housing in Europe. So let’s get to work.
Thank you!
Source – EU Commission