Mission


EU Urban Agenda - Partnership on Housing

The objectives of the Partnership on Housing were clearly outlined in the text of the Pact of Amsterdam endorsed by the EU Member States:  to have affordable housing of good quality with a focus on public affordable housing, state aid rules and general housing policy.

Partnership on Housing

The United Nations, IMF and OECD have clearly pointed to access to affordable housing as a pressing issue in society, in line with what is stated in the ‘Pact of Amsterdam’. The ‘EU Urban Agenda Partnership on Housing’ aims to create better legal and financial conditions for EU cities who need to invest in new and renovated, affordable housing for their populations on a broad scale. More specifically, the focus of the partnership is on the supply of affordable housing, including: social housing, affordable rental properties and affordable home ownership.

The ‘EU Urban Agenda Partnership on Housing’ makes proposals for EU legislation in respect of the EU’s financing conditions and knowledge management for social housing and affordable housing. It is chaired by the member state Slovakia and co-chaired by the city of Vienna.

Action Plan

By the end of 2018, the ‘EU Urban Agenda Partnership on Housing’ will have created an action plan on affordable housing in Europe. Some key questions which will structure the work towards the action plan:

  1. What is the overall contribution of housing policies to make cities places where all citizens can live and learn?
  2. How can cities maintain social cohesion through a broad affordable housing stock?
  3. How can cities address affordability and security for tenants and small home owners, including protection from speculation and eviction?
  4. What financial instruments and legal conditions do cities need for their housing policies at EU level and to boost long term investment in affordable housing?
  5. What new governance is needed to better involve the expertise of cities in the overall EU-decision-making process?