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DRAFT REPORT (2024/2120(INI))

On the role of cohesion policy investment in resolving the current housing crisis

REGI-PR-770013

Committee on Regional Development · Rapporteur: Marcos Ros Sempere

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✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 4 Sept 2026

Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.

This draft report proposes measures to use cohesion policy funds to tackle the EU housing crisis, including revising regulations, doubling funds, and ensuring public ownership of housing.

Committee position. The rapporteur proposes a series of measures to strengthen cohesion policy's role in addressing the housing crisis, including revising regulations, doubling funds, and ensuring public ownership.

Key points

  1. Acknowledges the EU housing crisis affects all regions, especially those with permanent geographical handicaps.
  2. Welcomes setting up an EU platform on affordable housing with the EIB to leverage funds and provide advisory services.
  3. Asks that cohesion policy funds and financial instruments for affordable housing not be counted in the excessive deficit procedure.
  4. Asks managing authorities to at least double planned funds for housing in the mid-term review and recommends transferring allocations between funds.
  5. Calls on the Commission to revise ERDF and JTF regulations to allow targeted investment support for housing, especially in cities.
  6. Suggests new specific objectives on affordable and sustainable housing in ERDF-CF regulation policy objectives 2, 4, and 5.
  7. Suggests broadening ERDF-CF and ESF+ support to include innovative approaches like community land trusts, cooperatives, and cost-rent models.
  8. Asks the Commission to define eligibility criteria for affordable housing support targeting those unable to access market housing.
  9. Encourages strict allocation mechanisms and social conditions for beneficiaries, maintaining public ownership to increase public housing stock.
  10. Calls for affordable housing to be a strategic priority in post-2027 cohesion funds and for resilient housing against natural disasters.
  11. Proposes a minimum share of ERDF-CF and ESF+ funds for housing based on national and regional strategies.
  12. Calls for duration requirements and public ownership of land and houses to create an EU public housing stock, and supports 'right to stay' in rent-controlled areas.

Who is affected

  • Managing authorities of cohesion policy funds at national and regional level.
  • Local authorities and target groups unable to obtain housing at market conditions.
  • Beneficiaries of EU funds and financial instruments, including real estate promoters and builders.
  • Low-income and middle-class populations in urban and rural areas.

Figures and deadlines

  • 48% average rise in house prices in the EU between 2015 and 2023.
  • 10.6% of households in cities and 7% in rural areas had housing costs over 40% of disposable income in 2023.

Legal basis: Article 3(3) TEU and Articles 14, 174, 175, 177 TFEU.