Federico Lazzari, Secretary – General of Build Europe & Head of GBS representative office in Brussels: We are very happy that the re-elected EC President Ursula von der Leyen has followed our proposal

For the first time, the EC will have a European Commissioner for Housing

Build Europe

In her speech to the European Parliament, re-elected President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen highlighted housing as a priority for her next term.

Despite the EU treaties not specifically addressing housing, and lacking direct Commission oversight in this sector, President von der Leyen has recognised the urgent need to address rising housing prices and the struggle for homes at affordable costs across Europe. She therefore committed to appointing a Commissioner dedicated to housing and proposed a plan to increase both public and private investment in homebuilding.

The appointment of a Commissioner responsible for housing aligns with Build Europe’s advocacy, and it was one of the main proposals included in our Manifesto. The creation of a Commissioner responsible for housing is a great achievement, which will also be extremely helpful for Build Europe’s efforts in the future by providing a dedicated point of contact within the Commission to address and resolve housing issues.

Emil Hristov

Reneta Nikolova

Mr. Lazzari, Ursula von der Leyen, the re-elected President of the European Commission, has pledged to appoint a Commissioner for Housing Access. What are your thoughts on this proposal, and how do you believe that it will impact housing policies in Europe?

This is a very positive development for European homebuilders, especially for households or citizens aspiring to buy a house in the EU. Build Europe has advocated for many years for the appointment of a Commissioner responsible for housing. I must say that in recent months, European policymakers and Members of the European Parliament, regardless of their political affiliation, have been much more committed to recognizing the role that the EU must play in addressing the housing affordability crisis. They are ready to discuss ways to find solutions. We are very happy that the re-elected President of the EC, Ursula von der Leyen, has followed our proposal, which was also included in our Manifesto.

In your opinion, what are the key areas where the new Commissioner for Housing Access could collaborate with Build Europe and other industry stakeholders to enhance housing accessibility and affordability across the continent?

The new Commissioner must understand that, in order to solve this crisis, we need to build more and at more affordable costs. The causes of the current affordability crisis in the EU mainly lie in high construction costs (which are also due to over-regulation), the increasing cost of buildable land due to its scarcity, and a housing supply that does not match population growth and is therefore insufficient. We hope that the new Commissioner will be open to identifying with us the real causes to tackle in order to find an efficient solution to the crisis.

What specific responsibilities and powers do you believe the new Commissioner for Housing Access should have to effectively address the housing crisis in Europe? How do you envision this role impacting current housing policies and initiatives?

We believe that the new Commissioner must assess the impact of existing and upcoming EU legislation on the housing sector, intervening when necessary. For example, this would have been useful in the past few years when crucial pieces of legislation, such as the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and the Soil Monitoring Law, were developed. However, it will also be important for the new Commissioner to introduce measures that encourage private investment in rental properties and promote financial tools to decrease housing costs across the EU, such as help-to-buy schemes. The Commissioner should also work to urge Member States to reduce waiting times and administrative costs for citizens who want to buy a new home and to speed up building permits for residential and urban projects.

What do you see as the most significant challenges facing the European housing market today, and how is Build Europe addressing these issues?

The next few years will be challenging for housing professionals as they will witness the national implementation of the EPBD, which we expect will increase construction costs. At Build Europe, we will monitor how each country implements the Directive, try to identify best and worst practices, and inform both national governments and EU institutions accordingly. Also, we will advocate for the principle that new regulations must be introduced with financial support; otherwise, the risk is that new, green housing will be unaffordable for the vast majority of European citizens. If the EU wants to witness ecological benefits, then green housing must be affordable for a majority of citizens and families.

Do you believe it's time for Build Europe to conduct meetings with Members of the European Parliament to discuss housing accessibility issues? If so, what key points should be addressed during these discussions?

It is always time for Build Europe to conduct meetings with Members of the European Parliament, and we believe that, after the summer, when the parliamentary situation becomes clearer, we will resume meeting with deputies. But even now, we are in contact with some of them. The first point we need to discuss with them is how the EU can promote broad access to new eco-friendly housing and financially incentivise deep renovation operations in all Member States.

As urbanization continues to rise across Europe, what strategies is Build Europe implementing to ensure that urban growth is managed sustainably and that housing remains affordable for all income levels?

One of our proposals is to develop EU legislation that makes European small and medium-sized cities more attractive, as land there is much more affordable. The idea is to shift some of the demand from the big cities. We believe this could also align with the desires of those citizens who do not want to live in a big metropolis, and at the same time, it would help the development of our territories, and increase investments in infrastructure and commodities in areas that are at risk of desertification. Finally, decreasing demand in big cities, could alleviate housing crisis also there.