Creating the conditions for access to affordable housing in the EU: the business perspective

Europe faces a structural challenge related to the affordability of housing, exacerbated by increased exposure to international risk factors. It is important to identify the root causes of this situation to be able to develop solutions that will guarantee effective access to affordable housing. Repeated crises at the global level – health, energy, geopolitical – have reminded us that, as with any good of service, the price of housing is regulated by supply and the ability of demand to compensate for that supply. The number of housing units granted building permits fell by 25% in five years, from 2 million permits to 1,5 million. At the same time, the cost of construction materials rose by around 30%, influenced by the cost of energy and supply shortages.