Programme

Hybrid Public Hearing on:

Accessible and Affordable Housing for All: 
Ensuring Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in the EU 

EESC Permanent Group on Disability Rights

Monday, 15 September from 10.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.

Interactio and Room VMA 22, 2nd Floor, EESC Building, Rue Van Maerlant 2, Brussels, Belgium

Although housing is a basic human need, an increasing number of people across the EU are struggling to find and maintain safe, stable homes. Housing affordability has become a widespread and pressing issue. Persons with disabilities face additional barriers, often due to lower income levels and the need for accessible housing that meets their specific requirements.

This event will feature insights from EU institutions, showcase good practices at the local level, and highlight recommendations from civil society and disability organisations.

09.30 a.m. - 10.00 a.m. | Testing connections

10.00 a.m. - 10.10 a.m. | Welcome and introduction by Christophe Lefèvre, president of the EESC Permanent Group on Disability rights (PG DIS)

10.10 a.m. - 11.15 a.m. | Panel 1 - Setting the scene: the EU Affordable Housing Plan

Moderator: Marie Zvolská, EESC PG DIS Member

Interventions by:

• Tatiana Marquez Uriarte, Task Force on Housing, European Commission
• Inmaculada Placencia Porrero, Senior Expert, Disability, DG JUST, European Commission
• Thomas Kattnig, Co-Rapporteur of the opinion "For a European Affordable Housing Plan – the contribution of civil society", EESC
• Mikko Aaltonen, Rapporteur Opinion  on "Eradicating homelessness", Committee of the Regions (COR)

Q&A

11.15 a.m. - 11.30 a.m. | Coffee break

11.30 a.m. - 12.50 p.m. | Panel 2 - Making the EU Affordable Housing Plan accessible to everybody 

Moderator: Dovile Juodkaité, EESC PG DIS Member

• Marie Denninghaus, Policy and Capacity Building Manager, European Disability Forum (EDF)
• Alice Pittini, Research Director, Housing Europe
• Ioana Vlad, Housing Policy Officer, European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless (FEANTSA)
• Herawati Nowak, Disability consultant, City of Borås (Sweden)
• Veronika Iwanowski, International Relations Officer, Wiener Wohnen, Vienna (Austria)

Q&A

12.50 p.m. - 01.00 p.m. | Closing remarks by Christophe Lefèvre, president of the EESC Permanent Group on Disability rights (PG DIS)

Interpretation requested from English, French, Italian, Czech, Lithuanian and Polish into English, French, Italian, Lithuanian and Polish.