On 20 February 2024 in Brussels, the EESC organised a conference on the Housing Crisis in Europe. This publication sets out the participants' assessment of the current state of affairs and their recommendations on how to tackle the current housing crisis.
Recent economic shocks from the COVID-19 pandemic and the energy crisis in Europe following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have brought energy poverty to the forefront of social and political debate. While EU policies increasingly address energy poverty, gender considerations remain overlooked. This study addresses this gap and aims to increase the understanding of the gender-energy poverty nexus, analysing existing literature and EU and national policies.
The decline of employment in the European agriculture sector increases the need of EU and non-EU seasonal workers at peaks of planting and harvesting activities. EU citizens’ freedom and right to work across the Union allows the proper functioning of the market economy by providing labour where and when it is needed. Still, after 30 years of the single market, once seasonal workers arrive at their destination, they are subject to fragmented, often localised, employment arrangements and rules.
This study identifies key barriers to accelerating the renovation rate in the residential building sector and to implementing the Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS). It provides a summary of, and recommendations for, overcoming these obstacles.
For the current mandate (October 2020 to April 2023) of the Civil Society Organisations’ Group (Group III), it has been decided to concentrate on the topic of poverty and on the role of civil society organisations and citizens' initiatives in combating it. The objective of the work programme of Group III for this period is to contribute to making local communities more sustainable, resilient, equitable, productive and socially just, whilst also upholding the highest levels of democratic governance, respect for rights and the rule of law.
