Conference on “Housing crisis in Europe – the way forward?”

The Conference on the ´Housing crisis in Europe: the way forward?´ aims to shed light on the increasing necessity of European citizens, especially the most vulnerable, of available, accessible, sustainable, and decent housing. Many EU citizens and households face excessive housing costs, with housing being their main consumer expenditure and an excessive burden, to the detriment of other basic needs. However, access to affordable and decent housing is both a social need and a social right, and one of the 20 essential principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights.

Today, Europeans, particularly the most vulnerable groups, are increasingly concerned about the availability, accessibility, and sustainability of decent housing. Many EU citizens and households face excessive housing costs, with housing being their main consumer expenditure and an excessive burden, to the detriment of other basic needs. However, access to affordable and decent housing is both a social need and a social right, and one of the 20 essential principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights. Yet it is constantly being called into question by the various crises the EU has faced in recent years.

The Conference on the ´Housing crisis in Europe: the way forward?´ aims to shed light on the increasingly necessity of European citizens, of available, accessible, sustainable, and decent housing. EESC President Oliver Röpke, EU Commissioner Nicolas Schmit and Estrella Dura Ferrandis MEP will open the session.

Barbara Steenbergen, Member of the Executive Committee and Head of IUT Liaison office with the EU, will speak at the first panel of the Conference entitled ´Will the green deal have an impact on the access to decent and affordable housing?´.
The European Green Deal promised to leave no one and no place behind. Access to affordable and decent housing is both a social need and a social right, and one of the 20 essential principles of the EU Pillar of Social Rights. The wave of renovations should help to ensure that the right to affordable, sustainable, healthy, and accessible housing is respected.
The impact of renovation on the value of buildings and property markets is not negligible. The rising cost of living and housing is creating more difficulties for all households, but particularly for the socially vulnerable groups who live in unrenovated and energy-inefficient housing. Low-income households, young people, people with disabilities, migrants and refugees are all population groups that can easily become vulnerable in the current crisis. Energy poverty rates are growing and rapidly reaching even middle-income families. In 21 European states, the costs of renovation can be passed on to the tenants by law- tenants pay for the EU Green Deal.

Public and social housing policy and building renovation should therefore be treated as a priority to alleviate energy poverty, prevent gentrification and displacement of tenants and residents, and stop renovictions. Improving the energy efficiency of buildings should be a structural means of combating energy poverty, unsecure and unhealthy housing conditions. It is critical to ensure that the burden of renovation costs is distributed equitably to counteract disparities between social groups. Housing cost neutrality after renovation (meaning that rent increases are at least balanced by energy savings at the same amount) and social safeguards for tenants must be the minimum requirement of all energy legislation at EU level and in the Member States.

Follow the webstream live on 20th of February from 09.30 (CET)

Link to the program

Link to the speakers