Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/123 of 21 January 2025 on the request for registration, pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/788 of the European Parliament and of the Council, of the European citizens’ initiative entitled HouseEurope! Power to Renovation
Date: 2025-01-21
Institutions: European Commission, Secretariat-General
Subjects: European citizens' initiative, building, environmental impact, improvement of housing, petition, reduction of gas emissions, tax rebate, waste recycling








L_202500123EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
L series













2025/123


22.1.2025







            COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2025/123
of 21 January 2025
         
on the request for registration, pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/788 of the European Parliament and of the Council, of the European citizens’ initiative entitled ‘HouseEurope! Power to Renovation’
         
(Only the English text is authentic)


THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,


Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2019/788 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on the European citizens’ initiative (1), and in particular Article 6(2) and (3) thereof,

Whereas:







(1)


A request for registration of a European citizens’ initiative entitled ‘HouseEurope! Power to Renovation’ was submitted to the Commission on 24 November 2024.












(2)


The aim of the initiative as expressed by the organisers is ‘to create incentives that make the renovation and transformation of existing buildings the new norm and a common path’. The organisers call for ‘a right to reuse for existing buildings based on three key pillars’: (i) ‘tax reductions for renovation works and reused materials’; (ii) ‘fair rules to assess both potentials and risks of existing buildings’; and (iii) ‘new values for the embedded CO2 in existing structures’.












(3)


An annex to the initiative provides further details on the subject matter, objectives and background to the initiative. It refers to speculative real estate development and the environmental impact of the demolition and construction of buildings. The organisers consider that the renovation of buildings could ‘ensure affordable living spaces, support small and medium-scale businesses, reduce CO2 emissions, and preserve memories and communities’. The annex further defines the objectives of the initiative with reference to: (i) the ‘preservation, renovation, and adaptive reuse of buildings’; (ii) economic incentives ‘to make renovation more attractive and economically viable than demolition’; (iii) ‘accounting for the energy already invested in buildings to shift past environmental impacts toward future sustainability’; (iv) the creation of affordable housing; (v) shifting the construction sector ‘from material-intensive to labour-intensive’; (vi) aligning with Union policies ‘to promote renovation and transformation and enhance sustainability’; (vii) encouraging the renovation and transformation of buildings to contribute to the Union’s climate goals.












(4)


An additional document setting out specific legal proposals has also been submitted by the organisers as part of their registration request.












(5)


As regards the first pillar of the initiative, the Commission could submit a proposal for a legal act to create economic incentives in the form of tax reductions for renovation works and reused materials based on Article 113 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). The Commission could also submit proposals to introduce new conditionality or enabling conditions concerning housing renovation targets, increase funding for housing infrastructure and distribute the costs of renovation in a socially fair manner, based on Articles 175 to 178 TFEU. Finally, the Commission could submit a proposal in the area of research and development under Articles 173 and 182(1) TFEU.












(6)


As regards the second pillar of the initiative, the Commission could propose rules to assess the potentials and risks of existing buildings, in order to allow the preservation of existing structures, the creation of affordable housing, the transformation of the construction sector and alignment with Union policies, on the basis of Article 114 TFEU, provided that the requirements of this legal basis be duly justified in due time.












(7)


Finally, concerning the third pillar of the initiative, the Commission could propose new values for the embedded CO2 in existing structures, in order to value embodied energy and reach climate goals, on the basis of Articles 192 and 194 TFEU.












(8)


For those reasons, the Commission considers that none of the parts of the initiative manifestly falls outside the framework of the Commission’s powers to submit a proposal for a legal act of the Union for the purpose of implementing the Treaties.












(9)


That conclusion does not affect the assessment of whether the concrete substantive conditions required for the Commission to act, including compliance with the principles of proportionality and subsidiarity and compatibility with fundamental rights, would be met in this case.












(10)


The group of organisers has provided appropriate evidence that it fulfils the requirements laid down in Article 5(1) and (2) of Regulation (EU) 2019/788 and has designated the contact persons in accordance with Article 5(3), first subparagraph, of that Regulation.












(11)


The initiative is not manifestly abusive, frivolous or vexatious, nor is it manifestly contrary to the values of the Union as set out in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union or to the rights enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.












(12)


The initiative entitled ‘HouseEurope! Power to Renovation’ should therefore be registered.












(13)


The conclusion that the conditions for registration under Article 6(3) of Regulation (EU) 2019/788 are fulfilled does not imply that the Commission in any way confirms the factual correctness of the content of the initiative, which is the sole responsibility of the group of organisers of the initiative. The content of the initiative only expresses the views of the group of organisers, and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the Commission,





HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:



Article 1
The European citizens’ initiative entitled ‘HouseEurope! Power to Renovation’ shall be registered.


Article 2
This Decision is addressed to the group of organisers of the citizens’ initiative entitled ‘HouseEurope! Power to Renovation’, represented by Olaf GRAWERT and Arno BRANDLHUBER acting as contact persons.




Done at Strasbourg, 21 January 2025.


For the Commission

Maroš ŠEFČOVIČ
            

Member of the Commission






(1)  
            OJ L 130, 17.5.2019, p. 55, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/788/oj.


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2025/123/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)