The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) on 19 June 2025 adopted a resolution to provide the European Commission with a contribution to its 2026 work programme.
This study explores policy solutions for affordable and sustainable housing in the European Union, emphasising a number of factors which are crucial throughout the building process: habitability, community, economic accessibility, resource efficiency, circularity and climate change resilience.
Europeans as a whole – not just the most vulnerable groups, are increasingly concerned about the growing lack of affordable housing. The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has long raised the issue of affordable, accessible, sustainable and decent housing, and in particular the need to invest in social and affordable housing for EU citizens. The EESC believes that the European institutions must act to get Europe out of the current housing crisis, in cooperation with the Member States and in compliance with the principles of subsidiarity.
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.
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.
