European Semester for economic policy coordination: employment and social priorities for 2024

Tabled by Pedro Marques, Agnes Jongerius, Lina Gálvez Muñoz

Added: 1b. Stresses that the housing crisis is endangering social cohesion in Europe, increasing homelessness and poverty, and undermining confidence in democracy; calls on the Commission and the Member States to make the right to adequate housing and its progressive realisation a recognised and enforceable fundamental human right through applicable European and national legislative provisions; calls for the housing sector to be included as one of the Social Services of General Interest, and not only social housing, as this is essential to guarantee the right to affordable and decent housing for all; asks the Commission to revise the EU State aid rules to broaden the target group for affordable housing in order to guarantee an adequate supply of affordable housing for all, as well as the following measures: preventing any privatisation of public or social housing that would reduce the capacity of the state to ensure the right to adequate housing, and maintaining a regulatory framework for rented housing that safeguards security of tenure and ensures affordable housing for tenants, including through rent caps, controls or rent freezes where needed; highlights that the EU and Member States should ensure the provision of sufficient, adequate and affordable social housing to cover the housing needs of the three bottom quintiles of society and reduce by half the overburden of housing costs faced by these groups by 2030 and should establish a standard that at least 30 % of all new houses be affordable housing for the lower-income group, and at least 30 % affordable housing for the middle-income group; calls on the Commission and the Member States to introduce green social housing in their housing investment plans, including social housing sustainability criteria, as well as other aspects such as the provision of care facilities, access to recreational facilities, community centres, parks and green spaces especially in the most deprived areas, as a way to improve residents’ living conditions;

Wording as published by the EP, in English. PE760.472