EPP-CoR leaders call for more housing supply, less bureaucracy and stronger partnerships with local and regional authorities
Europe must move from diagnosis to delivery by empowering local and regional authorities, increasing housing supply, reducing bureaucracy and unlocking both public and private investment, EPP-CoR members said during a plenary debate on housing with European Investment Bank President Nadia Calviño and European Parliament rapporteur Borja Giménez Larraz .
María Isabel Urrutia de los Mozos (ES/EPP), Regional Minister for the Presidency, Justice, Security and Administrative Simplification of the Government of Cantabria, stressed that housing is about far more than buildings. "Housing is not just a technical or regulatory issue. It is the foundation upon which stability, family life, social cohesion and the future of our citizens are built. Cities and regions do not simply implement housing policies; we are essential partners in shaping them." Speaking on behalf of the EPP-CoR Housing Network, she underlined that local and regional authorities are best placed to identify solutions that work in different territories. Drawing on Cantabria's experience, she highlighted a €65 million regional package including tax incentives for homebuyers, public guarantees, support for renovation and rental housing, affordable housing developments and public-private partnerships to increase supply. Referring to the Badalona Declaration adopted by the EPP-CoR, she called for a territorial approach that empowers local and regional authorities, reduces bureaucracy, accelerates housing construction and renovation, and mobilises both public and private investment.
Carlos Moedas (PT/EPP), Mayor of Lisbon, welcomed the growing European focus on housing but argued that much stronger action is now needed. "Housing is the biggest challenge facing our cities and regions. We need more action and less ideology. There is no magic bullet. We must tackle both supply and demand." He called for faster permitting procedures through reduced bureaucracy, the use of artificial intelligence in administrative processes and greater uptake of innovative construction methods such as modular housing. He also urged the EU to establish new financing programmes after NextGenerationEU, strengthen public-private partnerships for affordable housing and introduce targeted measures to help young people access housing, including lower taxes and greater support for renters.
During the debate, Nadia Calviño, President of the European Investment Bank, reaffirmed the Bank's commitment to supporting affordable housing across Europe, announcing plans to scale up EIB financing to help deliver 1.4 million homes by 2030. She stressed that housing is both a social and an economic priority and called for stronger partnerships with local and regional authorities to maximise the impact of future EU investment.
Borja Giménez Larraz (ES/EPP), Member of the European Parliament and rapporteur on housing, presented the European Parliament's five-pillar approach to tackling the crisis, centred on empowering local and regional authorities, increasing housing supply through regulatory simplification, mobilising public and private investment, supporting young people and families, and improving housing data to guide policymaking.
EPP-CoR members highlighted how housing challenges differ across Europe's territories but require solutions designed and delivered locally.
Francisca Ramis Pons (ES/EPP), Director General for Institutional Relations and Relations with the Parliament of the Balearic Islands Government, explained that in the Balearic Islands, demographic pressure, intensive tourism and territorial constraints have made housing affordability one of the region's biggest structural challenges. She highlighted the regional government's plan to deliver more than 7,000 social homes, mobilise existing housing stock and called for stronger European tools to guarantee affordable and accessible housing.
Fernando López Miras (ES/EPP), President of the Region of Murcia, argued that Europe has analysed the housing crisis long enough and must now focus on implementation. "Europe does not need more diagnoses—it needs action. We must increase housing supply, remove barriers to construction, strengthen affordable and social housing, and give regions better access to flexible European financing so we can deliver real solutions for citizens, especially young people."
Uwe Conradt (DE/EPP), Lord Mayor of Saarbrücken, stressed that affordable housing starts in cities and municipalities, calling for the European Investment Bank to deepen its engagement with local authorities so they can build more homes for students, older people, low-income families and vulnerable citizens.
Xavier García Albiol (ES/EPP), Mayor of Badalona and member of the EPP-CoR Housing Network, underlined that boosting housing supply also requires greater legal certainty. "Increasing housing supply requires more than investment—it also requires legal certainty. By reducing bureaucracy, strengthening confidence in the rental market and providing a stable regulatory framework, we can unlock more homes and improve access to affordable housing, especially for young people."
Árpád-András Antal (RO/EPP), Mayor of Sfântu Gheorghe Municipality, urged the European Commission to pay greater attention to towns with fewer than 100,000 inhabitants and smaller metropolitan areas, where housing challenges are closely linked to employment opportunities. He argued that affordable housing and decent jobs are essential to retaining young people, preventing depopulation and securing the future of Europe's regions. To support these efforts, he called for the creation of a dedicated European fund for the construction of affordable housing.
Csaba Borboly (RO/EPP), Vice-President of Harghita County Council, called for future European housing action plans to be genuinely place-based and co-designed with local and regional authorities through the National and Regional Partnership Plans, warning that centrally designed strategies often fail to reflect territorial realities.
The debate also highlighted the importance of retaining young talent through better housing. Aalbert Johannes Veerman, EPP-CoR Young Elected Politician from South Holland, pointed to the urgent need for more student and starter housing, arguing that providing 16,000 additional student homes over the next decade would help retain skilled graduates and strengthen regional competitiveness.
The EPP-CoR reiterated that tackling Europe's housing crisis requires a genuine place-based approach, stronger multilevel governance and policies that enable regions and cities to deliver affordable, sustainable and accessible housing for all.