EU Strategy for Housing Construction

Background

This EESC opinion highlights civil society’s expectations and concerns on putting into practice the European Commission’s communication The European Strategy for Housing Construction: a more competitive and productive construction industry.

Presented in December 2025 as part of the European Affordable Housing Plan, the strategy feeds into the Commission’s broader effort to address the EU’s housing crisis. Its objective is to create framework conditions for increasing the supply of repurposed, renovated and new housing.

The communication outlines the current situation and the main gaps faced by the construction sector, proposing measures to facilitate and increase its productivity and competitiveness.

More specifically, the strategy aims to:

• strengthen the competitiveness of the construction ecosystem;
• simplify and digitalise the ecosystem;
• accelerate innovation and modernise the construction market;
• ensure stable access to construction materials;
• ensure access to services and improve skills (including skills shortages).

Key points

The EESC:

• welcomes the Strategy for Housing Construction under the Affordable Housing Plan, but urges the Commission to swiftly present the announced initiatives and adopt far more ambitious measures to address the structural housing crisis: the necessary framework conditions for the construction to serve as a catalyst for affordable, sustainable and high-quality housing, a right to adequate and affordable housing in EU primary law, sufficient funding and a stronger focus on vulnerable groups and on sustainability. Housing support must, depending on the case, prioritise conversions, renovations and new builds and promote climate-neutral and resource-efficient construction methods, collective housing and alternative mobility approaches that improve people’s quality of life;
• criticises the lack of clear land-use and spatial planning guidance and calls for an effective rural development strategy and proven tools, including mandatory shares of subsidised affordable housing;
• considers innovation essential for faster, more sustainable, reliable and affordable construction, while increasing the attractiveness of skilled trades. It therefore welcomes accelerated standards development under the new Construction Products Regulation and calls for a stronger EU role in international standardisation bodies. Digitalisation should not be limited to construction projects. It should also be leveraged to strengthen labour rights enforcement, job quality, working conditions and consumer interest.

Additional information

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

Opinion number: TEN/872

Opinion type: Optional

Referral: COM(2025) 991 final

Rapporteur: Thomas Kattnig (Group II - Austria)

Date of adoption by section: 24 June 2026

Result of the vote: 66 in favour, 4 against, 5 abstentions

Date of adoption in plenary: 15-16 July 2026

Result of the vote: 193 in favour, 2 against, 9 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