For a European Affordable Housing Plan – the contribution of civil society

Background

The EESC addresses the current cost of living crisis and the growing concern of many European citizens about the availability, affordability and sustainability of decent housing. The end goal of this opinion is to contribute to improve European people’s lives and help shape European housing policy.

The EESC has been calling for a just transition for years, recognising the need to tackle energy and transport poverty as well as to adopt a European action plan for housing. The Green Deal building plan and the European Pillar of Social Rights should provide an opportunity, while respecting Member States’ policies and practices, to give concrete and clear form to EU housing policies.

The cost of housing has become a burden for many Europeans, accounting for a significant proportion of household budgets. Housing costs generally include the cost of utilities (water supply, electricity, gas and heating), maintenance, renovation and interest payments on rents or mortgages. House prices and rents in the EU as well as construction producer prices for new residences have been rising steadily since 2010.

The housing crisis is linked to transport and energy poverty. The choice of housing location determines the associated transport costs. In addition, a growing number of households do not have access to essential energy services and products because of the high proportion of household expenditure devoted to energy or the low level of their income.

Poor energy performance of buildings and appliances has become a major problem in Europe but energy efficiency in residential buildings is essential for reducing energy poverty, fighting climate change and improving population health and wellbeing.

Key points

The EESC:

• calls on the Commission to develop an action plan to enforce the fundamental right to housing, emphasising that this right must be formally enshrined in EU primary law;
• urges to reform state aid rules to allow broader access to social housing. The current definition of service of general economic interest (SGEI) excludes key groups and limits Member States’ ability to respond to rising demand;
• highlights the urgent need for a coordinated EU approach to address the shortage of affordable and sustainable housing, while respecting subsidiarity, as housing policy remains primarily a Member State competence;

• recommends adopting an EU Housing Action Plan to create a cohesive policy addressing the housing crisis and that all Member States introduce ‘housing first’ programmes to tackle homelessness in order to reduce social inequality and deprivation.

   

Additional information

Section: Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and the Information Society (TEN)

Opinion number: TEN/848

Opinion type: Exploratory

Rapporteur: John Comer (Group III - Ireland)

Co-Rapporteur: Thomas Kattnig (Group II - Austria)

Date of adoption by section: 4 September 2025

Result of the vote: 58 in favour, 4 against, 5 abstentions

Date of adoption in plenary: 17-18 September 2025

Result of the vote: 111 in favour, 4 against, 10 abstentions

Contact

Marco Pezzani

Press Officer

Tel.: +32 2 546 9793 | Mob: +32 470 881 903

E-mail: marco.pezzani@eesc.europa.eu

Francesco Napolitano

Administrator

Tel.: +32 546 8921

E-mail: francesco.napolitano@eesc.europa.eu