EPP-CoR Young Elected Politicians Arjen Veerman and Spyridoula-Anna Pappa bring the voice of youth to the CoR Plenary, highlighting housing, resilience and regional competitiveness
During the European Committee of the Regions Plenary session, EPP-CoR Young Elected Politicians Arjen Veerman and Spyridoula-Anna Pappa underlined that Europe’s future competitiveness, resilience and cohesion depend on giving territories the tools to respond to interconnected challenges and called for European policies that better reflect the realities of citizens, students, local communities and regions on the ground.
Speaking from the perspective of South Holland, Arjen Veerman highlighted the urgent need to address housing pressure in one of Europe’s most densely populated regions. Home to nearly four million people, South Holland faces intense competition for scarce space, with housing, ports, agriculture, water management and the energy transition all placing demands on the same territory.
“Delivering nearly a quarter of a million homes is about far more than construction. It demands systemic change, courageous choices and innovative solutions to overcome some of the most complex spatial challenges in Europe,” said Arjen Veerman.
He also stressed that student housing is a clear example of how housing policy is directly linked to talent retention and regional competitiveness. With more than 300,000 students across all educational levels, South Holland has a strong future economic asset. Yet too many students are forced to leave during or after their studies because they cannot find suitable and affordable housing within travelling distance.
To retain talent, Veerman underlined that South Holland should realise 16,000 student homes within the next decade, alongside sufficient starter housing to enable graduates to stay, work and build their future in the region.
From Western Greece, Spyridoula-Anna Pappa, community councillor in the Municipality of Amphilochia, called for a more integrated European approach to resilience. She stressed that climate change, housing affordability, energy insecurity, water management and local economic development cannot be treated as separate challenges.
For regions such as Western Greece, these issues have a strong territorial dimension. Ageing housing infrastructure, energy poverty, climate impacts, wildfire risks, pressure on water resources and the need to protect viable local economies all affect the everyday lives of citizens and the future of young people.
“The climate transition cannot succeed if citizens experience it only as increased costs. Energy renovation, sustainable housing and adaptation policies must become instruments of social resilience, not additional sources of inequality,” said Spyridoula-Anna Pappa.
She also highlighted the importance of local knowledge and regional ecosystems, pointing to Western Greece’s coastal areas, agriculture, fisheries and traditional economic activities as examples of why European resilience must be designed with territories, not only for them.
Together, they sent a strong message from Europe’s young elected representatives: housing, climate resilience and territorial development are not separate policy files. They are connected challenges that determine whether young people can study, live, work and build their future in their own regions.
The EPP-CoR Young Elected Politicians Programme gives young local and regional representatives a platform to bring their experiences into the European debate. Their contributions show that the next generation of leaders is ready to defend a Europe that is more resilient, more competitive and more attentive to the needs of its communities.
Europe’s future will not be shaped only in capitals or major cities. It will also be built in regions such as South Holland and Western Greece, where young leaders are calling for practical solutions, stronger investment and a governance model that recognises territories as partners in delivering European objectives.