Conclusions of the EESC Conference on the "Housing Crisis in Europe – the way forward?"

On 20 February 2024 in Brussels, the EESC organised a conference on the Housing Crisis in Europe. The conference took stock of the progress made since the launch of the Renovation Wave Strategy as part of the European Green Deal and addressed some of the main challenges. As the availability and affordability of decent housing is an issue of growing concern to Europeans, particularly young people, the conference examined the housing conditions and needs of young people. Finally, the conference looked at how to simplify and make more coherent the multiple funding systems for investment in social and affordable housing.

Over the years, the EESC has worked on several opinions and organised events to inform debates and shape upcoming policy recommendations on housing at EU level. With this conference, the EESC intended to give political impetus to the debate on the EU housing crisis during the Belgian Presidency's forthcoming ministerial conference on housing, to be held in Liège on 4-5 March 2024, and to ensure that this issue features in the new terms of office of the European Parliament and the European Commission for the 2024-2029 period.