9 Paths to Better Homes for a Better Europe

Our Manifesto of Demands and Proposals for the European Elections 2014

Brussels, 2 April 2014 | Published in Energy, Urban, Economy, Social

We, social, public and co-operatives housing providers work together for a Europe which provides access to adequate and affordable housing that is socially, economically and environmentally sustainable and creates communities where all are enabled to reach their full potential.

We want to be part of the solution that Europe needs to deliver. Europe has to find a way to do better with less. This is why our solution stands on three pillars that will lead to better public budgets in each Member State as well as for Europe as a whole.

FIRST, we must work towards greater well-being for Europeans to restore confidence, social stability, avoid further societal inequalities and boost local job creation.

SECOND, we must support the right long-term national and European social investment by ensuring better resources for social, public and co-operative housing. This will help us move towards a more resource-efficient and healthy Europe as well as lower socio-economic costs.

And THIRD, we must ensure stable and responsible European housing markets to avoid further recession of European economy and to support sustainable growth. We must learn from past mistakes to build a better future.

Together our three priorities will deliver a long-term solution package for all Europeans and Europe as a whole.

We are ready to get on with this work however we need the EU to design policies that support our activities and we need the EU to do this in a coherent manner.

In return we will help Europe face its societal challenges of growing social exclusion and inequalities, high unemployment and low growth and rising population of elderly people.

We invite you to join us for a better Europe!

1. Greater well-being for Europeans

Solution n°1: Make adequate and affordable housing a key lever for employment
Solution n°2: Increase cooperation against housing exclusion and national strategies against energy poverty
Solution n°3: Avoid the emergence of a two-tiered Europe by supporting recovery in countries hit hardest by the crisis

2. Long-term social investment

Solution n°4: Increase the public support for supply of new affordable home
Solution n°5: Unlock the access to affordable market finance for social infrastructures
Solution n°6: Improve the business case for the refurbishment of affordable housing

3. Responsible housing market

Solution n°7: Make the EU competition rules compatible with housing needs (not the contrary)
Solution n°8: Ensure a balanced EU economic surveillance of housing markets
Solution n°9: Promote evidence-based and innovative approaches to housing

* You may read our policy proposals in detail, including facts, figures and examples in the document below.

** Check out the infographic we have created, providing additional background information about the housing sector in the EU. You may also download it below.