The EU has adopted a housing plan. Will it fix the crisis?

Published on 25/03/2026 - 8:00 GMT+1

On March 10th, MEPs voted 367 to 166 successful favour of recommendations from the Special Committee connected the Housing Crisis. The study is not legally binding, but it is the archetypal clip Europe has created a lodging roadmap for the full bloc.

The numbers amusement the standard of the problem. Europe is abbreviated astir 10 cardinal homes. Rents person gone up by much than 30 percent crossed the EU. The European Investment Bank says the EU volition request 2.25 cardinal much homes successful 2025 alone, which is 50% much than are being built now.

The Parliament wants the Commission to trim bureaucracy, alteration taxation rules, and usage much EU funds for gathering and renovating homes. In response, the Commission has announced an Affordable Housing Plan with astir €10 cardinal from InvestEU.

But there's a ceiling to what Brussels tin do. The EU cannot acceptable taxation rates, alteration nationalist zoning laws, oregon necessitate countries to physique much homes. Real terms alleviation astir apt volition not travel earlier 2027. Now, it is up to the Commission and the 27 subordinate governments to act.