European Council President António Costa said housing would be on EU leaders’ agenda when they discuss the bloc’s next long-term budget at the European Council meeting in June, after talks in Brussels with a coalition of mayors focused on affordable homes.
Costa met the coalition of Mayors for Housing — a cross-party group representing towns and cities across Europe — and said the issue had stayed high on the EU agenda since the European Council held its first exchange of views on affordable housing in October, the Council announced on Thursday.
Preparations are under way for an “Affordable Housing Act”, with the European Commission consulting stakeholders, he said.
Housing affordability and access were among the most pressing issues for millions of Europeans, Costa stated.
He stressed that housing scarcity was reducing labour mobility and productivity, and was affecting demographics, consumption and public finances.
Budget talks and a housing law
Social and affordable housing, tackling poverty and homelessness, and investment in social infrastructure are set to be among the objectives of new National and Regional Partnership Plans proposed by the European Commission, according to Costa.
He said the approach would allow member states, regions and cities to set housing priorities based on local needs.
The Affordable Housing Act — expected to be presented by the Commission later this year — should support mayors and other actors in shaping policy responses, including on short-term rentals and speculation, Costa declared.
He also said he had convened experts and leaders from EU agencies earlier in the day to discuss drugs, describing trafficking as a growing issue affecting European cities, economies and lives.
