Setting up a special committee on the Housing Crisis in the European Union, and defining its responsibilities, numerical strength and term of office

European Parliament decision of 18 December 2024 on setting up a special committee on the Housing Crisis in the European Union, and defining its responsibilities, numerical strength and term of office (2024/3000(RSO))

The European Parliament,

–having regard to the proposal from the Conference of Presidents,

–having regard to the Treaty on European Union (TEU), in particular Article 3(3) thereof, and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), in particular Articles 9, 14, 148, 153, 160 and 168 thereof, and Protocol No 26 to the TEU and to the TFEU on services of general interest,

–having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union,

–having regard to the European Pillar of Social Rights,

–having regard to its resolution of 21 January 2021 on access to decent and affordable housing for all,

–having regard to Rule 213 of its Rules of Procedure,

A.whereas the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights includes the right to housing;

B.whereas the European Pillar of Social Rights states that access to social housing or housing assistance of good quality is to be provided for those in need and this is to be implemented at both Union and national level within their respective competences; whereas adequate shelters and services are to be provided to the homeless in order to promote their social inclusion; whereas the right to housing for people with disabilities deserves special protection and dedicated policies to ensure housing accessibility;

C.whereas the European Union is facing a housing crisis, with people of all ages across different income groups struggling with high prices and scarcity of affordable homes; whereas unaffordable housing is a matter of great concern for many Union citizens and prevents them, particularly young people, from starting an independent life; whereas that crisis affects people in all Member States and can have a negative impact on their health, well-being and living conditions;

D.whereas protecting private property and ensuring legal certainty for private owners, including best practices in relation to the fight against squatting, as well as protecting people from evictions, are important aspects at national level affecting housing availability and the right to housing in certain Member States;

E.whereas the Union has a number of competences relating to housing;

F.whereas there is a need to have an holistic approach on housing combining different policies dealt with in different committees within Parliament;

1.Decides to set up a special committee named ‘Special committee on the Housing Crisis in the European Union’ with the aim of proposing solutions for decent, sustainable and affordable housing, and that that committee shall carry out, in cooperation and consultation with the competent standing committees where their powers and responsibilities under Annex VI to the Rules of Procedure are concerned, the following responsibilities:

(a)to map current housing needs across territories and population groups, particularly low and middle income groups, and to assess the impact of scarcity of housing on inequalities, affordability, demography, poverty and social exclusion, including using existing gender-disaggregated data;

(b)to analyse the existing relevant Union, national, regional, and local housing policies with a focus on the availability of targeted instruments for social, sustainable and affordable housing in cities, islands and coastal and rural areas with a view to identifying and issuing recommendations, including policies dedicated to housing accessibility for people with disabilities and reduced mobility;

(c)to analyse the impact of housing speculation and its economic consequences, as well as to propose follow-up actions;

(d)to assess whether the trend in house prices and rents is adequately taken into account in the cost of living indicators and related policies;

(e)to map and to assess the effectiveness of public and private Union and national resources, including existing Union funds dedicated to decent, sustainable and affordable housing and to the eradication of homelessness and to make recommendations, where relevant;

(f)to analyse systemic issues with short-term accommodation rentals and their impact on the availability of affordable housing in particularly affected areas and to make relevant proposals;

(g)to monitor the implementation of the Union legislation on data collection and sharing relating to short-term accommodation rental services, which has to be adopted at national level by 20 May 2026;

(h)to analyse effects of Union policies that influence the availability and affordability of housing, including bottlenecks in current Union regulations with regard to investment capacity, on housing and social housing, State aid and supply chain shortages;

(i)to assess potential barriers affecting the construction sector and their impact on the housing crisis;

(j)to identify shortages in availability, sustainability and financing needs for affordable housing and the need for potential reforms;

(k)to assess the impact of non-profit and limited-profit housing solutions, such as social or cooperative housing, on the affordability and accessibility of housing for different groups;

(l)to assess policies and legislative proposals needed to improve the provision and availability of decent, sustainable and affordable housing, including by enabling new construction, housing reconversion and renovation programs, taking into consideration the potential of vacant buildings;

(m)to map innovative technologies, processes, services and products to support the renovation wave, taking into account existing Union initiatives; to map where administrative and regulatory burdens are hampering the renovation wave, with the aim of reducing unnecessary regulatory burden while ensuring quality work in the construction sector and quality standards for affordable housing;

(n)to contribute to the development and the future implementation of the European affordable housing plan and the European strategy for housing construction to be presented by the Commission;

(o)to conduct hearings with experts from the Union institutions and competent authorities, international, national and regional institutions, non-governmental organisations and relevant sectors of the economy, taking into account the perspectives of a range of stakeholders;

(p)to conduct visits to study best practices around Europe;

2.Decides that the special committee shall have 33 members;

3.Decides that the term of office of the special committee shall be 12 months and that that term shall start running from the date of its constituent meeting;

4.Instructs the special committee to present a final report at the end of its term of office focusing on the matters set out in paragraph 1.