11-05-07 

A large majority of MEPs have adopted on May 10th in a plenary session in Brussels the own-initiative report by M. Alfonso Andria on “housing and regional policy”.
This report, which is not legally binding, is a major political recognition of the necessity to improve housing conditions as a key element of quality of life in the EU.

Given the tough discussions between the European Commission on the one hand and the Council of the EU (especially the EU-12) on the other hand over the scope of European support to housing through EU Structural Funds, this report means a clear position of the European Parliament towards greater consideration at the EU level of the role of housing for a sustainable development in both urban and rural areas.

The reports considers  “the right to adequate housing at reasonable prices as an important fundamental right” and asks the Member States to make this right effective.

Furthermore, the report asks the Member States concerned to make full use of the funds made available for housing from the ERDF and calls for a possibility to extending access to Community funds for the renovation of social housing to all Member States in order to save energy and protect environment, which is currently provided for only for certain countries, given that housing needs are critical throughout Europe. This point is particularly relevant at a time when the priorities for the implementation of the Structural Funds are determined by Member States and Regions.

Further recommendations from the report
 -    A series of quality indicators defining the concept of ‘adequate housing’ should be developed
-    The European Commission should take practical follow-up action to its pilot project in the social housing sector under the SAVE programme
-    The Commission should develop thematic networks for housing along the lines of those established under the URBACT programme
-     The Commission should carry out a study on housing governance in the EU taking into account the value of general interest of adequate, decent and affordable housing
- The European Parliament should adopt a Declaration on Housing based on the European Housing Charter adopted in April 2006 by the Intergroup Urban-Housing of the European Parliament
- The Commission and the EIB should to implement the Jessica initiative under the same conditions in all countries, including housing within an integrated development approach;

Giving a speech at the plenary session of the European Parliament, Danuta Hübner, Commissioner in charge of Regional Policy,  agreed that many urban centres in Europe face severe housing problems and that new member states especially should be given the means to improve housing conditions. She also supports one of the Andria report’s suggestions to promote the exchange of best practice on housing and on sustainable urban development in general saying that "regions and cities can learn a lot from each other on how to ensure a balance between housing needs, demographic trends and urban development trends".

CECODHAS, that has been widely consulted by the rapporteur and other stakeholders on this issue, considers it as a major success and will gather its efforts to make sure that concrete actions linked to the proposals made in it will follow

The adopted report is available here

To read the European Housing Charter adopted by the Integroup, click here 

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