Next week, European progressives are joining forces to put housing at the top of the agenda for the recovery. The PES Group in the European Committee of the Regions, together with the S&D Group in the European Parliament, the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS), the Party of European Socialists and the City of Vienna, is organising a week of online events from 25 to 29 January 2021, bringing together voices from the political world, local, national and European institutions, social, public and affordable housing providers, tenants’ unions, civil society, and academia.

The debate will focus on concrete solutions to the housing crisis which is affecting millions of people in the EU and that the pandemic only worsened. The progressive family will also launch a petition during the opening of the week asking commitments, investments, and new rules for housing to the EU institutions and Member States.

Speakers include Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, Leilani Farha, Former UN Special Rapporteur on the right to housing and Global Director of The Shift, Agnes Jongerius, S&D Member of the European Parliament, Fernando Medina, Mayor of Lisbon and PES Group member, Saskia Sassen, Robert S. Lynd Professor of Sociology and former Chair, Committee on Global Thought, Columbia University, and many others.

Commenting on the upcoming event to which he will also take part, Christophe Rouillon, President of the PES Group in the European Committee of the Regions and Mayor of Coulaines (France), said “Housing is a fundamental right but far from being reality in the EU today, especially after the COVID crisis. Housing is also key to achieve the European Green Deal objectives. This is why we call for a European Deal for Housing and we want to make sure that every town, city and region is part of - and an actor in - this process. I am proud the progressive family, from the local to the national and European levels is uniting behind this common fight.”

“Access to decent and affordable housing is a human right. It is enshrined in the European Social Charter, but so far we have not been able to deliver. We must legislate and incentivise social housing. That is why Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament are fighting to change the European Semester to include social spending as a golden rule. It is difficult to explain why we have established a percentage of 37% of the Recovery Fund to be spent on the Green Deal and 20% in the digital economy, whereas there is no obligation to invest in people. Together the Progressives, we can change it!” added Iratxe García Pérez, President of the S&D Group in the European Parliament, who will take part both in the opening and closing of the Week.

PES President Sergei Stanishev said: “Our political family, across Europe, is fighting for everyone’s right to live in dignity, in a good environment, in decent homes. This is a priority for socialists and democrats, as this event proves. We will keep pushing for an EU where good quality, sustainable and affordable housing is guaranteed for all.” 

“Housing policy has to be deeply rooted in local communities, and it needs to protect our citizens – not only, but obviously also in times of crisis. The corona pandemic has clearly depicted that strong intervention is highly needed to prevent evictions and make homes a safe place. However, we – the cities and regions of Europe – need the EU to protect our citizens from global developments that harm our housing markets, such as financialisation, touristification and money laundering. We also need a clear vision that housing is a right, not a commodity, and that public investment in new and better homes has to contribute to social cohesion and common wellbeing as much as to combat climate change,” stated Michael Ludwig, Mayor of Vienna and member of the PES Group in the European Committee of the Regions.

“The European Union can support the improvement of housing conditions through investments from the European Structural and Investment Funds, the InvestEU fund, and loans from the EIB. The Green New Deal, the European Pillar of Social Rights, and the Urban Agenda are there to show the way to sustainable solutions. In addition, better financial sector regulation has to ensure that families do not fall victim of speculative or fraudulent housing loan schemes,” argued László Andor, FEPS Secretary General.

Source pes-group-newsroom.prezly.com