Programme

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09:30 | OPENING SESSION

Welcome address and moderation: Baiba Miltoviča, President of the Section for Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and the Information Society, EESC

  • Oliver Röpke, President of the European Economic and Social Committee 
  • Christophe Collignon, Minister for Housing, Local Authorities and Urban Policy 
  • Nicolas Schmit, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights 
  • Estrella Durá Ferrandis MEP, Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats 

10:00 | SESSION 1: WILL THE GREEN DEAL HAVE AN IMPACT ON ACCESS TO DECENT AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING?

Moderator: András Edelényi, EESC member and rapporteur for "Universal access to housing that is decent, sustainable and affordable over the long term" 

  • Andres Jaadla, Committee of the Regions, member and rapporteur for "Smart, sustainable and affordable housing as a tool for local authorities to face multiple challenges", Member of Housing Europe  
  • Valeria Ronzitti, Secretary-General, SGI Europe 
  • Giulio Romani, Confederal Secretary, ETUC 
  • Emmanuelle Causse, International Union of Property Owners (UIPI)
  • Barbara Steenbergen, Head of the International Union of Tenants (IUT), EU liaison office 
  • Sorcha Edwards, Secretary-General, Housing Europe 

Debate

11:45 | SESSION 2: HOUSING CRISIS FOR YOUNG EUROPEANS – FROM RECOGNITION TO ACTION

Moderator: Mateusz Szymański, EESC member 

  • Hans Dubois, Eurofound, Housing exclusion of young adults - problems and solutions : the main findings of the Eurofound report on Unaffordable and inadequate housing in Europe (May 2023) 
  • Wim Gabriels, Director, Erasmus Student Network, Housing crisis and the impact on student mobility
  • Rossana Zaccaria, President, Legacoop Abitanti, Italy, Member of Housing Europe 
  • Kurt Peeters, Board member of the Community Land Trust Leuven, Member of Housing Europe 
  • Maria del Carmen Barrera Chamorro, EESC Rapporteur on For an EU framework for national homeless strategies based on the principle of "Housing First"

Debate

13:00 | LUNCH BREAK Lunch offered by the EESC to all the participants

14:30 | SESSION 3: HOW TO SIMPLIFY AND MAKE MORE COHERENT THE MULTIPLE FUNDING SYSTEMS FOR INVESTMENT IN SOCIAL AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING?

Moderator: Krzysztof Balon, EESC member

  • Filippo Cavassini, Senior Economist, OECD Economics Department - Country Studies
  • Johannes M. Böhmer, Vice-Governor, Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB)  
  • Andrea Colantonio, Urban Development, European Investment Bank
  • André Sobczak, Secretary General, Eurocities
  • Carlos Sanchez Rivero, Team Leader, European Commission, ENER.DDG1.B.2 - Energy Efficiency: Policy and Financing 
  • Laurent Ghékière, Chair of the Housing Europe Observatory, and Head of EU Affairs, l'Union Social pour l'Habitat, France, Member of Housing Europe 

16:15 | CONCLUSIONS

  • Baiba Miltoviča, President of the Section for Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and the Information Society, EESC