What changed

B100217/2024

P10_TA(2024)0066

European Parliament decision on settingSetting 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))

PE767.563

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 168,168 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,

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 policespolicies 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 practicepractices 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 the 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 ofto 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 offor people with disabilities,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,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, stateState aid and supply chain shortages;

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