Proposal for a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on fighting housing exclusion
Date: 2026-05-06
Institutions: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission
Subjects: EU strategy, European social policy, homelessness, housing need, marginalisation, poverty, right to housing, social integration, social security, subsidised housing

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 6.5.2026  COM(2026) 540 final 2026/0105 (NLE)  Proposal for a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on fighting housing exclusion {SWD(2026) 770 final}  
 
 
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CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL 

Reasons for and objectives of the proposal 

In her State of the Union address on 10 September 2025, Commission President Ursula von 
der  Leyen  placed  housing  and  poverty  centre  stage,  committing  to  a  “plan  to  help 
eradicate  poverty  by  2050”  with  an  ambitious  European  Anti-Poverty  Strategy  and  to 
present  the  first  ever European  Affordable  Housing  Plan.  The  President  underscored  that 
‘the European Pillar of Social Rights established housing as a right in Europe’, declaring that 
it was time to realise that promise into reality. She characterised the housing crisis as a social 
challenge and a matter of dignity, advocating for a radical overhaul of the way we tackle this 
issue.   

Principle  19  of  the  European  Pillar  of  Social  Rights  enshrines  the  right  to  housing  and 
assistance to the homeless. It calls for access to social housing or housing assistance of good 
quality to be provided for those in need; and underlines that vulnerable people have the right 
to  appropriate  assistance  and  protection  against  forced  eviction.  The  principle  also 
underscores that adequate shelter and services shall be provided to  the homeless  in  order to 
promote their social inclusion.   

The  Charter  of  Fundamental  Rights  of  the  European  Union  underlines  that,  to  combat 
social  exclusion  and  poverty,  the  Union  recognises  and  respects  the  right  to  social  and 
housing assistance. The goal is to ensure a decent existence for all those who lack sufficient 
resources, in accordance with the rules laid down by Union and national laws and practices.  

The revised European Social Charter recognises the right for everybody to access housing 
of  an  adequate  standard  and  to  prevent  and  reduce  homelessness  with  a  view  to  its  gradual 
elimination.  

Considering the importance of these rights  and the need to  effectively  implement them,  the 
Lisbon  Declaration  on  the  European  Platform  on  Combatting  Homelessness,  signed  in 
June  2021  by  Member  States,  EU  Institutions  and  Advisory  bodies,  social  partners  and 
relevant  NGOs,  expresses  the  commitment  to  work  towards  the  ending  of  homelessness  by 
2030, so that (i) no one sleeps rough for lack of accessible, safe and appropriate emergency 
accommodation; (ii) no one lives in emergency or transitional accommodation longer than is 
required  for successful  move-on to  a permanent housing solution;  (iii) no one is  discharged 
from  any  institution  (e.g.  prison,  hospital,  care  facility)  without  an  offer  of  appropriate 
housing; (iv) evictions should be prevented whenever possible and no one is evicted without 
assistance  for  an  appropriate  housing  solution,  when  needed;  (v)  no  one  is  discriminated 
against due to their homelessness status. 

The overall goals of this proposal are to promote policy efforts to effectively implement the 
aforementioned orientations on access to housing and housing assistance.  

The European Affordable Housing Plan, the first EU-level framework aiming to address the 
housing  crisis,  is  built  on  four  pillars  where  action  is  needed,  including  supporting  those 
affected  by  housing  exclusion  and  homelessness.  It  proposes  a  Council  recommendation  to 
support  vulnerable  persons  in  precarious  housing  situations  and  to  prevent  and  address 
homelessness, through person-centred, housing-led and integrated policies.  

The EU’s first-ever Anti-Poverty Strategy announced in the political guidelines 2024-2029, 
aims to help eradicate poverty by 2050 and focuses on providing support to Member States 
to  “help  people  to  get  access  to  the  essential  protection  and  services  they  need,  along  with 

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addressing  the  root  causes  of  poverty”.  This  proposal  for  a  Council  Recommendation  is 
adopted together with the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy and is integral part of the Commission’s 
efforts  to  prevent  and  combat  poverty.  Also,  part  of  the  EU  Anti-Poverty  Strategy,  the 
Strengthened European Child Guarantee addresses gaps in combating child poverty, ensuring 
children in need can access essential services - including adequate housing - to support their 
development. 

With  the  aim  of  preventing  and  combating  housing  exclusion  and  homelessness,  this 
proposal  for  a  Council  Recommendation  will  serve  as  a  tool  to  support  Member  States, 
regions and cities in reviewing, designing and implementing comprehensive, person-centred, 
housing-led  and  integrated  strategic  policy  frameworks  to  prevent  and  reduce  housing 
exclusion  and  homelessness,  in  both  urban  and  rural  areas.  Rural  and  remote  areas  face 
specific  challenges  regarding  access  to  affordable  housing,  including  low  property  values, 
which  can  reduce  incentives  for  maintenance  and  investment  and  lead  to  vacancy, 
degradation, and abandonment of housing stock. In addition, rural housing is often older and 
more energy inefficient, increasing renovation needs, costs for residents, and contributing to 
energy  poverty.  While  some  Member  States  have  recently  developed  or  strengthen  their 
strategic  policy  frameworks,  substantial  variations  in  methodologies,  governance  structures 
and results exist, underscoring the need for guidance on proven, evidence-based policy action. 
The policy aim is to support vulnerable persons in, or at risk of, precarious housing situations 
and to prevent and address homelessness.  

Housing exclusion refers to the inability of an individual or household to access or maintain 
decent,  stable  housing  that  meets  basic  quality  standards,  legal  security1,  and  affordability. 
Homelessness is its most visible and extreme form and includes people sleeping rough and in 
emergency  and  temporary  accommodation.  However,  housing  exclusion  is  broader,  and 
includes  those  who  have  a  roof  over  their  heads  but  live  in  conditions  that  are  inadequate 
and/or  insecure.  Insecure  housing  occurs  when  individuals  encounter  threats  of  arbitrary  or 
forced  eviction,  domestic  abuse,  or  hold  unstable  tenancy  agreements.  Inadequate  housing 
occurs  when  individuals  occupy  dwellings  of  sub-standard  quality  that  lack  basic  facilities, 
whether  due  to  severe  disrepair,  extreme  overcrowded  or  not  adapted  to  people  with 
additional  needs,  such  as  older  people  or  persons  with  disabilities  or  long-term  care  needs. 
Other  form  of  housing  exclusion  can  include  the  unavailability  of  accommodation  for 
students, which can lead to giving up further studies. 

Homelessness  is  the  most  severe  manifestation  of  poverty  and  social  marginalisation, 
significantly  diminishing  life  expectancy,  health,  well-being  and  societal,  democratic  and 
labour market participation, and the ability to access essential economic and social services. It 
is  a  complex,  evolving  social  challenge  driven  by  structural  factors  -  such  as  poverty, 
unemployment,  living  in  marginalised  areas,  limited  availability  of  social  and  affordable 
housing and inadequate social welfare provision. Personal circumstances, like addiction, poor 
mental or physical health, family breakdown, or domestic violence, can heighten vulnerability 
or  act  as  triggers.  While  rough  sleeping  is  the  most  visible  form  of  homelessness 
(rooflessness), less obvious forms - particularly houselessness - also exist, where individuals 
live in emergency or temporary accommodation.2  

1  Quality standards housing  set out the minimum requirements for a dwelling to be considered habitable, safe, 
and legally compliant. These standards, often enforced through local housing codes require that homes provide 
structural stability, sanitation, and fire safety. Legal security refers to security of tenure.  

2 These  categories  are  part  of  ‘ETHOS’,  the  European  Typology  of  Homelessness  and  Housing  Exclusion.  
ETHOS was developed as a framework to improve understanding and measurement of homelessness in Europe 
and to provide a common ‘language’ for transnational exchanges on homelessness. The ETHOS classification 
includes all living situations that amount to forms of homelessness and housing exclusion.  

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Differences in legal and statistical definitions of homelessness, along with disparate types of 
monitoring  and  methodologies  among  Member  States  pose  challenges  to  producing 
consistent, reliable, and comparable data on homelessness across the EU.  National available 
data  indicate  an  upward  trend  in  several  Member  States,  with  the  OECD  estimating  that 
approximately  one  million  people  are  experiencing  homelessness  in  the  EU.  The  socio-
demographic characteristics of individuals who experience housing exclusion or homelessness 
differ  based  on  national,  regional  and  local  contexts.  Nonetheless,  the  OECD3  shows  that 
certain populations are disproportionately affected by homelessness, including young people, 
families with children, migrants, older adults and persons with disabilities. 

According to  the 2023  EU-SILC4 module ‘Intergenerational  transmission of advantages 
and disadvantages and housing difficulties’5, approximately 5% of adults in the EU report 
experiencing  housing  difficulties  at  some  stage  in  their  lives,  including  rough  sleeping, 
residing in emergency shelters, living in non-traditional housing or temporarily staying with 
family and friends due to a lack of alternatives. The share of all households at risk of poverty 
or social exclusion that experience housing difficulties is more than double the share of those 
not  at  risk  (8.5%  compared  with  3.9%).  Households  with  dependent  children  (18.1%)  are 
more likely to experience difficulties renting accommodation than those without (10.2%). The 
primary causes of housing difficulties are family and personal  issues (30%), financial issues 
(25.9%),  job  loss  or  inability  to  find  a  job  (7.3%),  the  end  of  a  rental  contract  (5.2%)  and 
relationship  or  family  issues  (14.1%).  Health  problems  contribute  to  housing  difficulties  in 
1.1% of cases. 26.5% overcame housing difficulties by finding a job, 20.4% by moving into 
social or subsidised private housing accounted, and 14.1% through relationships or family.  

Homelessness is  also  a  significant systemic  challenge with considerable fiscal  and social 
implications for Member States. Practices that favour reactive, crisis-focused action, such as 
emergency healthcare, temporary shelters, and criminal justice oversight, result in a cycle of 
high-cost  services  that  do  not  address  the  underlying  causes  of  homelessness.  Beyond  the 
immediate impact on state budgets, there are broader societal costs, including the erosion of 
human  potential  and  the  weakening  of  community  cohesion,  as  housing  exclusion  hinders 
economic engagement and perpetuates cycles of intergenerational inequalities.  

A  strategic  shift  is  therefore  required  to  tackle  housing  exclusion  and  homelessness, 
from  emergency  management  to  person-centred,  housing-led  and  integrated  policies. 
Person-centred  policies  focus  on  meeting  the  distinct  challenges  of  individuals  and 
households in precarious housing situations who face or are at risk of housing exclusion and 
homelessness.  Housing-led  approaches,  such  as  Housing  First,  help  people  in  precarious 
housing situations to remain in their accommodation and aim at providing stable housing as 
rapidly as possible, coupled with integrated support services, to those experiencing housing 
exclusion  and  more  specifically  homelessness.  Evidence  shows  that  these  are  the  most 
efficient and cost-effective policies to address homelessness.  

Housing-led  approaches  can  be  hampered  by  the  lack  of  affordable  housing.  Although 
increasing the supply of affordable housing is a medium and long-term aim, improvements in 
the short-term could be achieved by more targeted allocation of social and public housing and 
by supporting people experiencing homelessness to access existing and vacant homes in the 
rental  market  with  house-search  assistance,  rental  guarantees  or  subsidies  and  financial 

3  OECD Affordable Housing Database | OECD 
4  EU-SILC stands for the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions. It is a harmonised annual 
survey (since 2003) conducted across EU member states and some non-EU countries to collect comparative, 
multi-dimensional,  longitudinal,  and  cross-sectional  microdata  regarding  income,  poverty,  social  exclusion, 
and housing conditions 

5  https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/SEPDF/cache/132338.pdf  

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support to pay for rental deposits, while also ensuring appropriate safeguards and incentives 
for  homeowners/landlords.  Increasing  the  supply  of  affordable  housing  is  a  challenge 
requiring the involvement of multiple stakeholders at each stage of the process, starting with 
the  design  of  specific  housing  policy  measures  to  boost  the  supply  of  social  and  affordable 
housing  in  a  manner  that  also  encourages  private  investment.  Housing  provision  must  be 
integrated  with  social  support,  housing  assistance,  healthcare  and  long-term  care  services, 
labour  market  integration  services,  and  other  essential  services  to  tackle  the  multifaceted 
challenges associated with housing exclusion and homelessness  

Quality is crucial for housing sustainability, and an individual’s dignity and well-being. 
Minimum  standards  for  decent  housing  include  safety  conditions  to  protect  occupants  from 
hazards such as structural collapse, fire, inadequate sanitation, and environmental threats, as 
well  as  accessibility  adaptations  where  relevant.  Housing  safety  requires  adequate  essential 
services (e.g., electricity, heating, and running water) and protection from weather, structural 
issues, and other dangers. Quality housing also involves good energy performance, to prevent 
households  from  experiencing  energy  poverty,  and  sufficient  living  space  per  person  to 
prevent overcrowding.  

Strategic frameworks to tackle homelessness currently exist in 19 Member States, either at 
national or subnational level. These strategies prioritise and focus on  the provision of social 
and  affordable  housing  and  comprehensive  support  for  people  experiencing  homelessness. 
Homelessness  prevention  and  the  shift  from  emergency  and  temporary  accommodation  to 
long-term housing solutions, including the development or expansion of  approaches such as 
Housing First, that are at the core of policy in several countries. 

Effective  strategies  to  tackle  housing  exclusion  and  homelessness  must  prioritise 
prevention,  resources  for  which  are  often  inadequate.  Despite  preventive  approaches  being 
more  economical  than  reactive  approaches,  they  are  frequently  overshadowed  by  quick, 
emergency responses. Early intervention services, including mediation for rent arrears, rent or 
mortgage  debt  counselling,  legal  support  concerning  tenants  and  landlord  rights,  early-
warning systems and short-term financial aid, are provided inconsistently and can be difficult 
to  access.  Improving  these  services,  tailored  support  to  individuals  leaving  institutions  and 
adequate financial help to increase take-up of benefits, is crucial for disrupting the cycle that 
leads to homelessness 

Preventive measures can also address arbitrary or forced evictions. While it is challenging to   
get comprehensive, reliable and comparable data on evictions, for example on the number of 
eviction notices, procedures or orders, and whether the data covers all evictions or only those 
conducted  by  law  enforcement  agents,  the  OECD  estimates  that  at  least  2.4  million  formal 
eviction procedures are initiated annually across OECD countries. 

Mitigation measures and cooperation mechanisms should be developed to reduce eviction and 
homelessness  risks.  The  European  Convention  on  Human  Rights  and  the  European  Social 
Charter require that countries ensure legal protection for those facing eviction. This includes 
consulting affected parties to find alternative solutions, setting payment plans to ensure rents 
and mortgages can be paid,  proposing a reasonable eviction  notice period, banning  night or 
winter  evictions  where  possible,  providing  legal  remedies  against  illegal  evictions  and  aid, 
and offering compensation for illegal evictions. When evictions occur, they must respect the 
dignity and rights of individuals and should be accompanied by alternative accommodation.  

An  effective  housing  exclusion  and  homelessness  strategy  should  therefore  integrate 
expanding  social  and  affordable  housing  supply  for  stable  medium  and  long-term  solutions 
and  include  prevention  and  rehousing  by  protecting  those  in  precarious  housing  situations 
from  eviction,  intervening  early  on  rent  arrears,  including  through  financial  and  debt 

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counselling  as  well  as  ensuring  access  to  adequate  social,  employment,  health  and  care 
services. 

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Consistency with existing policy provisions in the policy area 

The  proposal  contributes  to  implementing  principle  19  of  the  European  Pillar  of  Social 
Rights on housing and assistance for the homeless. This principle recognises that people in 
need should have access to social housing or high-quality housing assistance; that vulnerable 
people have the right to protection against forced eviction and that homeless people must be 
provided with adequate accommodation and services.  

The Presidency conclusions on the future European Affordable Housing Plan of 1 December 
2025,  call  for  a  stronger  cooperation  at  EU  level  building  on  the  work  of  and  further 
strengthening  the  European  Platform  on  Combating  Homelessness  and  housing-led  policies 
such as the Housing First Principle. They also invite the Commission to consider whether a 
Council  Recommendation  can  contribute  to  this  end.  In  December  2025,  the  European 
Commission  launched  the  European  Affordable  Housing  Plan,  the  first  EU-level 
framework aiming to address the housing crisis. The plan comprises four pillars: (i) increasing 
housing  supply;  (ii)  mobilising  investment;  (iii)  providing  immediate  support  and  driving 
reforms;  and  (iv)  safeguarding  those  most  affected  by  housing  exclusion.  Action  10  of  the 
plan,  that  focuses  on  addressing  homelessness  and  supporting  tenants  and  households  in 
vulnerable  situations,  proposes  a  Council  recommendation  on  fighting  housing  exclusion  to 
support  vulnerable  persons  in  precarious  housing  situations  and  to  prevent  and  address 
homelessness.   

The  Lisbon  Declaration  on  the  European  Platform  on  Combating  Homelessness 
launched  the  European  Platform  on  Combatting  Homelessness  (the  Platform)  which 
promotes  (i)  comparable,  reliable  data,  and  monitoring;  (ii)  knowledge  exchange;  and  (iii) 
improving  access  to  funding,  together  with  (iv)  mainstreaming  housing  exclusion  and 
homelessness in all relevant Union policies. This proposal builds on the work carried out so 
far and lessons learned through the Platform. 

The  Commission  has  significantly  stepped  up  its  contribution  in  housing-related  policies 
while  fully  respecting  Member  States  competence  in  the  field.  While  most  competences  in 
housing lie with national, regional and local authorities, the situation has evolved from a local 
real  estate  issue  into  a  systemic  housing  crisis. The  EU’s  2023  Council  Recommendation 
on adequate minimum income ensuring active inclusion identifies access to housing as one 
of the enabling services that can help individuals without sufficient resources to integrate into 
society and, where relevant, into the labour market, and to access other enabling services and 
income support. 

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Consistency with other Union policies 

The  European  Child  Guarantee  adopted  in  2021  aims  to  prevent  and  combat  social 
exclusion  by  recommending  that  Member  States  guarantee  that  children  in  need  have 
effective  access  to  a  set  of  key  services,  including  adequate  housing.  It  recommends  that 
Member  States  consider  the  specific  disadvantages  experienced  by  homeless  children  or 
children  facing  severe  housing  deprivation  and  ensure  that  they,  along  with  their  families, 
have access to ‘adequate accommodation’ and to relevant social and advisory services.  

The Council Recommendation on access to affordable high-quality long-term care calls 
on Member States to expand formal long-term care services, especially home and community-
based  care.  Housing  that  is  adapted  to  individuals’  evolving  care  needs  is  a  fundamental 
prerequisite for ageing in place, enabling the provision of home-based care. 

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The 2021 Social Economy Action Plan and the related 2023 Council Recommendation on 
developing  social  economy  framework  conditions  aim  to  improve  the  framework 
conditions  for  social  economy  organisations  across  Europe.  Many  social  economy 
organisations work to promote the social inclusion of marginalised and disadvantaged  people, 
including through work integration and providing affordable and inclusive housing and other 
relevant social services (such as legal and practical support for tenants).  

The  Intergenerational  Fairness  Strategy  states  that  access  to  affordable  and  sustainable 
housing,  quality  public  services,  including  social  and  care  services,  transport,  digital 
connectivity,  social  infrastructure  and  recreation  facilities  are  central  to  whether  people  can 
remain in, return to, or build a future in their communities.  

The 2023 Commission Communication on a  comprehensive  approach to  mental health 
identifies people experiencing homelessness as a vulnerable group requiring targeted support. 
The  Communication  also  acknowledges  that  housing  exclusion  reinforces  mental  ill-health 
and disability. 

The  Action  Plan  on  Integration  and  Inclusion  2021–2027  provides  a  comprehensive 
framework to support both migrants and EU citizens with a migrant background. Grounded in 
the  principle  of  ‘Inclusion  for  All,’  it  outlines  measures  to  strengthen  action  and  bring 
together actors at all levels to advance integration and inclusion, fostering cohesive societies 
across four areas: education, employment, health, and housing. 

The Long-term Vision for the EU’s rural areas (LTVRA)6 sets out a holistic framework for 
stronger, connected, resilient and prosperous rural areas to 2040. Addressing access to basic 
services is one of the objectives of the LTVRA, including rural housing. The updated Rural 
Action Plan, to be published in 2026, aims to include one action on addressing rural housing. 

The  EU  Anti-Racism  Strategy  2026–2030,  adopted  in  January  2026  acknowledges  that 
people  from  racial  and  ethnic  minorities  face  discrimination  and  barriers  in  housing. 
Racialised  communities,  including  Roma,  face  unequal  conditions  in  access  to  housing  and 
disproportionate risks of overcrowding, poor living conditions, homelessness and segregation.  

The  Gender  Equality  Strategy  2026-2030 was  adopted  in  March  2026,  and  announced,  in 
line  with  the  European  Affordable  Housing  Plan,  the  Commission’s  intention  to  address 
housing exclusion by proposing a Council recommendation.  

The Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 adopted in 2021 aims to 
help  Member  States  enable  independent  living  and  deinstitutionalisation  by  ensuring  that 
persons  with  disabilities  can  live  accessible,  supported  housing.  It  promotes  community 
inclusion  over  segregated  institutions,  reducing  homelessness  risks  for  those  transitioning 
without proper support. 

The  LGBTIQ+  Equality  Strategy  2026-2030  adopted  in  October  2025  emphasises  that 
discrimination and a lack of social acceptance result in high poverty and homelessness rates 
among LGBTIQ+ individuals. The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights third LGBTIQ survey 
reveals that 38% of LGBTIQ+ respondents struggle to make ends meet, compared with 22% 
of the general population, and 13% resort to temporary stays with friends or relatives.  

6  https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52021DC0345  

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The  Council  Directive  implementing  the  principle  of  equal  treatment  between  persons 
irrespective  of  racial  or  ethnic  origin  of  June  2000,  implements  the  principle  of  equal 
treatment between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin, also through the prohibition 
of discrimination in relation to access to housing. 

The Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council 
‘A  Union  of  Equality:  EU  Roma  strategic  framework  for  equality,  inclusion  and 
participation’  adopted  in  October  2020,  underlines  persistent  challenges  for  Roma  when  it 
comes  to  housing,  including  inadequate  and  segregated  housing.  It  seeks  to  ensure  equal 
access  to  adequate,  desegregated  housing  and  essential  services  by  2030  ando  calls  on 
Member States to adopt national strategies for the socio-economic inclusion of marginalised 
Roma  -  focusing  on  education,  employment,  health,  and  housing.  The  2021  Council 
Recommendation  on  Roma  equality,  inclusion  and  participation  calls  Member  States  to 
ensure equal treatment of Roma people in access to, inter alia, adequate desegregated housing 
and essential services. 

The EU provides various funding mechanisms that can be used to address housing exclusion 
and homelessness. In 2024, the European Commission launched Social housing and beyond 
–  Operational  toolkit  on  the  use  of  EU  funds  for  investments  in  social  housing  and 
associated services. This toolkit supports policymakers in maximising the use of EU funds - 
the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), 
and the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) - for social housing investments and related 
services. Through 20 case studies, it showcases how these funds improve  access to adequate 
housing, offering tailored solutions for vulnerable groups.  

Cohesion  policy,  primarily  through  the  ESF+  and  the  ERDF,  funds  initiatives  that  aim  to 
improve social inclusion and housing conditions such as social services to homeless people, 
the  construction  and  renovation  of  affordable  housing,  and  the  conversion  of  unused   
buildings  into  affordable  and  social  housing.  The  ESF+  can  fund  the  provision  of  services 
such  as  social  work,  healthcare,  and  job  coaching,  while  the  ERDF  can  fund,  new  social 
housing, renovations,  and the  infrastructure for  “Housing  First” service hubs. The mid-term 
review  (Regulation  (EU)  2025/1914)  expanded  funding  options  for  affordable  and  social 
housing and introduced higher EU co-financing rates. Member States can draw on instruments 
such  as  Integrated  Territorial  Investments  and  Community-Led  Local  Development  to 
combine funding from multiple policy objectives. 

The European Urban Initiative provides direct funding to cities for ‘bold, unproven ideas’ 
to  tackle  urban  challenges,  as  well  as    innovative  ways  to  housing  solutions  including  for 
homeless people. 

The  RRF  has  been  used  by  Member  States  to  invest  in  social  infrastructure,  including 
housing. Some Member States addressed homelessness in their recovery and resilience plans 
(RRPs),  proposing  housing-led  solutions.  Others  planned  investments  in  housing  more 
broadly (e.g. energy renovation of housing, affordable housing projects). A portion of funds 
labelled  ‘social  spending’  in  RRPs  goes  to  social  housing  and  related  social  infrastructure. 
National plans often include training, healthcare, services for vulnerable people and housing-
related measures that can reduce the risk of homelessness.  

The Social Climate Fund provides support to vulnerable households by addressing the social 
impact  arising  from  the  Emissions  Trading  System.  In  their  Social  Climate  Plans,  Member 

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States  can  include  measures  and  investments  with  lasting  impact  to  support  the  access  to 
affordable, energy efficient housing, including social housing. 

The Social Investment  and Skills Window of InvestEU aids  in  providing access  to  social 
and affordable housing, helps combat social exclusion, and works towards alleviating poverty. 
It  successfully  de-risks  affordable  social  housing  and  can  help  housing  exclusion  by 
channelling  advisory  support  and  supporting  the  roll-out  of  financial  instruments.  This 
includes  guarantees  to  projects  by  implementing  partners  such  as  the  European  Investment 
Bank, the Council of Europe Development Bank and national promotional banks. 

The New European Bauhaus (NEB) was launched in 2021 by the European Commission as 
a connective initiative at the intersection of sustainability, aesthetics and social inclusion. The 
goal is to transform the built environment and people’s lives to make them more sustainable, 
inclusive,  beautiful  and  people  centred.  The  NEB  works  by  engaging  people  at  grassroots 
level in their neighbourhoods, providing tools and guidance, offering tailor-made solutions for 
different  communities,  and  incorporating  the  views  of  various  stakeholders  into  the  design 
and implementation processes. The NEB prioritises people and social inclusion, as well as the 
economy in order to boost the Union’s competitiveness and strategic autonomy.  

The  NEB  Facility  finances  projects  that  aim  to  revitalise  neighbourhoods,  boost  social 
inclusion  and  enable  access  to  affordable  housing  through  innovative,  circular  and  human-
centred  design  –  linking  housing  supply  with  broader  social  and  environmental  goals.  The 
Research and Innovation component of the NEB Facility supports several projects on housing 
and homelessness, including social infrastructure and services. 

The  Affordable  Housing  Initiative,  part  of  the  EU’s  Renovation  Wave  Strategy  and  a 
flagship  of  the  New  European  Bauhaus,  aims  to  create  or  renew  social  and  affordable 
neighbourhoods.  The  programme  addresses  energy  poverty,  promotes  inclusion,  ensures 
affordability,  and  reduces  emissions  through  tailored  guidance,  including  financial  advice, 
mentorship,  and capacity-building.   This can help  improve  housing quality and accessibility 
for lower-income households.  

Supporting people and their social inclusion, including by fighting poverty and homelessness, 
are among  the objectives of the  Commission proposal for the  next EU long-term budget 
for  2028-2034  (known  as  the  multiannual  financial  framework  or  MFF).  With  its  new 
integrated  approach,  the  MFF  proposal  will  allow  Member  States  to  fund  affordable  and 
social housing and combating homelessness to be combined with necessary reforms.    

2. 

• 

LEGAL BASIS, SUBSIDIARITY AND PROPORTIONALITY 

Legal basis 

The proposed recommendation is based on Article 292 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the 
European Union (TFEU) as the procedural legal  basis in combination with  Article 153(1)(j) 
TFEU as the substantial legal basis.  

Article 153(1)(j) allows the Union to support and complement the activities of Member States 
in the combating of social exclusion. Housing exclusion and homelessness are recognised as 
the  most  severe  forms  of  social  exclusion  in  the  EU.  The  proposal  will  contribute  to  this 
objective by combating housing exclusion and homelessness while ensuring effective access 
to  enabling  and  essential  services  and  measures,  thereby  allowing  individuals  to  live  with 
dignity. 

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Article 153(1)(j)  is  limited  by  Article 153(2)(a),  which  only  allows  measures  designed  to 
encourage  cooperation  between  Member  States,  while  excluding  any  harmonisation  of  the 
laws and regulations.  

Furthermore, under Article 153(4), the provisions adopted pursuant to Article 153, such as the 
proposed  recommendation:  (i)  must  not  affect  the  right  of  Member  States  to  define 
fundamental principles of their social protection systems; and (ii) must not significantly affect 
the financial equilibrium of those systems. 

• 

Subsidiarity (for non-exclusive competence)  

While responsibility for housing policy lies primarily with Member States, housing exclusion 
and  homelessness  are  common  challenges  across  the  Union,  driven  by  common  structural 
trends  that  benefit  from  coordinated,  cross‑sectoral  responses  and  from  the  sharing  of  best 
practices.  They  are  closely  linked  to  Union  objectives  in  the  fields  of  social  inclusion, 
employment, health, equality economic development and territorial cohesion.  

The  growing  gap  between  housing  cost  and  income  undermines  educational  and  labour 
mobility, limiting access to high-productivity areas, and forcing labour shortages in essential, 
low-paid  service  sectors.  When  housing  cost  outpaces  wages,  workers  are  forced  to  cut 
spending,  increase  commuting  times,  or  relocate,  all  of  which  reduce  overall  economic 
efficiency and productivity. Unequal access to adequate housing deepens existing inequalities 
of opportunity and fuels social exclusion.  

Member  States  are  best  placed  to  design  and  implement  policies  suited  to  their  national 
circumstances.  However,  Union‑level  action  adds  value  by  providing  policy  guidance,  best 
practices, facilitating mutual learning, promoting evidence‑based approaches, supporting data 
comparability,  and  improving  access  to  finance.  Such  action  upholds  the  Union’s  political 
commitment to ensure equal opportunities and a life of dignity for all and supports the upward 
social convergence of Member States. 

Ending  housing  exclusion  and  homelessness  would  contribute  to  achieving  the  UN 
Sustainable  Development  Goals  (SDGs)  included  in  the  2030  Agenda  for  Sustainable 
Development,  particularly  SDG  11.1  on  access  for  all  to  adequate,  safe  and  affordable 
housing  and  basic  services.  It  would  also  promote  implementation  of  the  principles  of  the 
European Pillar of Social Rights and the objectives of the Lisbon Declaration on the European 
Platform  on  Combatting  Homelessness.  The  policies  and  measures  set  out  in  the  proposed 
recommendation will also complement and support effective implementation of the European 
Affordable Housing Plan, with a focus on protecting those most affected by the housing crisis. 
The proposed Council Recommendation would provide Member States with a comprehensive 
reference framework to guide them in achieving the objectives mentioned above. 

• 

Proportionality  

The  measures  proposed  in  this  recommendation  are  proportional  to  the  objectives  pursued. 
The recommendation does not impose binding obligations or harmonise national legislation. It 
provides  flexible  guidance,  identifies  effective  practices  and  encourages  gradual  alignment 
with  agreed  principles.  It  therefore  does  not  go  beyond  what  is  necessary  to  achieve  its 
objectives and is proportionate to the challenges addressed.  

The proposal supports further developing of housing policy for those in a precarious housing 
situation, access  to  care  and other  existing  services  and social safety  nets in  Member  States 
and complements Member States’ efforts in combating the social exclusion of disadvantaged 

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individuals.  The  proposed  recommendation  respects  Member  States’  practices  and  the 
diversity  of  their  social  protection  systems.  It  recognises  that  different  national,  regional  or 
local  situations  could  result  in  differences  in  the  way  in  which  the  recommendation  is 
implemented  and  allows  Member  States  to  make  use  of  the  recommendation  according  to 
their  specific  context.  Proportionality  also  played  a  key  role  in  guiding  the  choice  of  the 
instrument. 

• 

Choice of the instrument 

The instrument is a proposal for a Council recommendation, which abides by the principles of 
subsidiarity and proportionality. It builds on the existing body of the Union law and is in line 
with the type of instruments available for Union action in the area of social policy. As a legal 
instrument, the proposal signals Member States’ commitment to the measures laid down in it 
and  provides  a  strong  political  basis  for  cooperation  at  Union  level  in  this  area,  while  fully 
respecting the remit of the Member States.  

3. 

• 

n/a 

• 

RESULTS 
CONSULTATIONS AND IMPACT ASSESSMENTS 

EVALUATIONS, 

POST 

OF 

EX 

STAKEHOLDER 

Ex-post evaluations/fitness checks of existing legislation 

Stakeholder consultations 

A public consultation is not required for this type of initiative.  

A  call  for  evidence  has  been  published  for  feedback  between  12  March  2026  and  9  April 
2026.  Feedback  revealed  as  cross-cutting  concern  the  shortage  of  affordable  and  social 
housing,  with  contributors  urging  sustained  public  investment,  expansion  of  non-profit  and 
cooperative  housing,  and  stronger  use  of  EU  funds.  Contributors  express  strong  support  for 
housing-led  approaches  as  the  evidence-based  model  of  choice,  alongside  calls  for  its 
systemic  national  scale-up.  Respondents  stress  the  need  for  person-centred,  integrated 
approaches  connecting  housing  with  health,  social,  employment  and  education  services. 
Prevention,  through  early  warning  systems,  eviction  safeguards,  rent  mediation  and  debt 
support,  is  identified  as  underfunded  and  underdeveloped.  Contributors  also  call  for 
harmonised data collection using the ETHOS classification, and stronger EU-level monitoring 
including through the European Semester. The disproportionate impact on vulnerable groups - 
Roma,  persons  with  disabilities,  LGBTIQ+  people,  women  and  single  mothers,  children, 
young people leaving care, migrants, and large families, is also highlighted.  

Between 25 July and 24 October 2025, the Commission carried out a public consultation on 
the  EU  Anti-Poverty  Strategy  that  contributed  to  shaping  the  content  of  this  proposal.  This 
proposal is part of the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy package. Targeted consultations with people 
experiencing poverty in the context of the development of the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy took 
place in September and October 2025.  

This  proposal  also  builds  on  the  results  of  the  public  consultation  carried  out  by  the 
Commission as part of the development of the European Affordable Housing Plan which took 
place between 11 July and 17 October 2025. This consultation included questions designed to 
gather  participants’  views  on  ensuring  affordable  and  accessible  housing  for  people  in 
vulnerable  situations,  at  risk  of  discrimination,  or  who  are  homeless.  This  consultation  was 

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part  of  the  Affordable  Housing  Dialogue  launched  by  the  Commission  to  prepare  the  plan, 
and yielded more than 13 000 responses. 

The  European  Platform  on  Combatting  Homelessness  was  consulted  on  the  contents  of  this 
proposal  through  a  written  consultation  in  January  2026.  The  Platform  includes  all  relevant 
stakeholders  that  are  responsible  for  the  fight  against  homelessness  -  the  European 
Commission,  the  European  Parliament,  Member  States,  the  Committee  of  the  Regions,  the 
European Economic and Social Committee, social partners and relevant European.   

• 

Collection and use of expertise 

The  evidence  underpinning  this  initiative  is  based  on  the  work  carried  out  under  the 
European Platform on Combatting Homelessness since 2021.  

Under the Mutual Learning work strand of the Platform, several studies7 were commissioned 
to  inform  and  support  Member  States  in  their  efforts  to  design  and  implement  national 
strategies combating housing exclusion and homelessness. These studies suggest that tackling 
homelessness  requires  shifting  from  emergency  responses  to  housing-led  solutions—
providing immediate, stable housing with tailored support. This approach breaks costly cycles 
of temporary shelters and highlights affordable housing as a key preventive measure.  

The OECD Toolkit to Combat Homelessness8 provides strategies for reducing homelessness 
through  preventive  and  reactive  measures,  to  create  effective,  long-term  solutions  and 
emphasises  data-driven  policies,  integrated  support,  housing  stability,  tailored  approaches, 
and  cross-sector  collaboration.  The  OECD  Monitoring  Framework9  aims  to  improve  the 
understanding and measurement of homelessness by setting consistent international standards 
for  data  collection  and  analysis.  It  emphasises  the  importance  of  using  comprehensive, 
comparable metrics that reflect the multifaceted nature of homelessness.  

The  European  Homelessness  Count10  pilot  project  developed  and  tested  a  comparable 
methodology  of  counting  and  profiling  homelessness  across  the  EU.  The  project  uses  a 
harmonised approach based on the ETHOS Light11 definition. 

For an extensive analysis of the link between poverty and housing exclusion, the report by the 
European  Social  Policy  Analysis  Network12  provides  a  comparative  analysis  of  the 
intersection of homelessness and anti-poverty policies across the EU.  

7  O’Sullivan,  E.,  ‘Key  Elements  in  Homelessness  Strategies  to  End  Homelessness  by  2030’  School  of  Social 

Work and Social Policy, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. 

  Mackie, P., ‘Preventive Measures against Homelessness and Housing Exclusion’ by School of Geography and 
  Planning, Cardiff University, Wales, UK. 
  Pleace, N., ‘Social and healthcare services for homeless people’ by, Centre for Housing Policy, School for 
  Business and Society, University of York, UK. 
8  OECD Toolkit to Combat Homelessness | OECD    
9  OECD Monitoring Framework to Measure Homelessness | OECD 
10 KU Leuven EU - Homelessness Counts 
11 ETHOS Light is a streamlined, harmonized European framework used to  measure homelessness and housing 

exclusion designed to identify various forms of homelessness.  

12 Baptista, I., Perista, P. and Marlier, E. (2025). The fight against homelessness and its links with anti-poverty 
policies  across  the  European  Union.  European  Social  Policy  Analysis  Network  (ESPAN),  Luxembourg: 
Publications  Office  of  the  European  Union,  https://employment-social-affairs.ec.europa.eu/fight-against-     
homelessness-and-its-links-anti-poverty-policies-across-european-union_en#description.  

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• 

Impact assessment 

An  impact  assessment  is  not  envisaged,  because  the  chosen  instrument  -  a  Council 
recommendation - is non-binding and the choice of implementation will be with the Member 
States.  The  proposal  for  the  Council  recommendation  is  supported  by  the  staff  working 
document accompanying the Anti-Poverty Strategy. 

The impact of the recommendation will depend not only on how Member States implement 
the  measures.  National  circumstances,  such  as  the  macroeconomic  situation,  the  design  of 
social protection systems and social services and the functioning of housing systems, are also 
important  and  make  it  difficult  to  isolate  the  specific  impact  of  the  proposal  from  other 
factors. 

• 

Fundamental rights 

The  proposal  will  contribute  to  safeguarding  the  right  to  human  dignity  (Article  1  of  the 
Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union), to social security benefits and social 
services,  to  social  and  housing  assistance  and  to  a  decent  existence  for  all  those  who  lack 
sufficient resources (Article 34 of the Charter).  

4. 

BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS 

The  recommendation  has  no  direct  budgetary  implications  for  the  Union.  It  encourages 
Member  States  to  make  effective  use  of  existing  national  resources  and  relevant  Union 
funding  instruments,  including  the  ESF+,  the  ERDF,  Erasmus+,  InvestEU  and  the  RRF,  in 
line with their respective rules and instruments under the next MFF.  

5. 

• 

OTHER ELEMENTS 

Implementation plans and monitoring, evaluation and reporting arrangements 

Progress  in  implementing  this  recommendation  will  be  monitored  through  the  following 
existing frameworks at EU level:    

– 

– 

– 

the  European  Platform  on  Combatting  Homelessness  will  provide  input  from 
the  broader  expert  community  and  stakeholders,  including  organisations 
representing people experiencing homelessness; 

the  Social  Protection  Committee  will  provide  the  necessary  policy  guidance 
and the input from Member States;  

the  European  Semester  will  feature  analysis  and  assessment  of  social  and 
economic policies related to housing exclusion and homelessness.  

Progress will be assessed based on available Eurostat official statistics and on the improved, 
comprehensive  and  comparable  data  that  the  proposed  Recommendation  aims  to  promote. 
Member States are recommended to report every five years to the Commission on the results 
of  their  national  monitoring  activities  and  on  progress  made  in  implementing  this 
Recommendation. 

Explanatory documents (for directives) 

• 

n/a 

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• 

Detailed explanation of the specific provisions of the proposal 

Paragraph 1 indicates the objectives of this recommendation.  

Paragraph  2  contains  definitions,  which  are  to  be  applied  for  the  purpose  of  the 
recommendation. 

The  section  on  cross-cutting  recommendations  is  the  core  of  the  recommendation  and  it 
recommends  Member  States  to  revise  or  adopt  national  frameworks  to  combat  housing 
exclusion  through  person-centred,  housing-led  policies.  It  further  recommends  setting  clear, 
time-bound  objectives  on  ensuring  emergency  shelter  for  all  rough  sleepers,  and  swiftly 
moving people from temporary housing into secure long-term accommodation. 

The  section  on  identification  of  persons  at  risk  of  housing  exclusion  covers  data  collection, 
the  establishment  of  eligibility  criteria  across  relevant  services,  early-warning  systems  to 
identify households at risk, and targeted outreach for undercounted groups. 

The section on prevention of housing exclusion covers retention of adequate housing, access 
to  information,  adequate  income  assessment,  eviction  protection,  child  protection,  care 
leavers,  early  intervention  for  children  and  young  people,  older  people  and  institutional 
transitions. 

The  section  on  support  to  people  experiencing  homelessness  addresses  support  systems  and 
services,  preservation  of  family  unity,  coordination  between  services,  labour  market 
activation, financial inclusion, access to housing, shelter capacity in line with needs, peer-led 
support, and countering discrimination. 

The  section  on  access  to  adequate  and  secure  housing  solutions  refers  to  housing-led 
approaches,  person-centred  support  services,  provision  of  social  and  affordable  housing, 
financial  support  and  incentives  for  access  to  housing,  providing  support  to  young  people 
(including students), and supporting place-based policies and housing adaptations. 

The  section  on  monitoring,  evaluation  and  governance  recommends  that  Member  States 
implement monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to ensure effective policy responses. It also 
recommends  that  Member  States  put  in  place  a  sound  governance  framework  involving  all 
stakeholders,  making  use  of  EU  funding  and  supporting  the  European  Platform  on 
Combatting Homelessness. 

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2026/0105 (NLE) 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION 

on fighting housing exclusion 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the  European  Union,  and  in  particular 
Article 292, in conjunction with Article 153(1), point (j), thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

Pursuant  to  Article 3(3)  of the Treaty on European Union, the Union  combats social 
exclusion  and  discrimination  and  promotes  social  justice  and  protection.  Pursuant  to 
Article 151  of  the  Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the  European  Union  (TFEU),  the 
Union and the Member States have as their objectives, amongst others, the promotion 
of employment, improved living and working conditions, proper social protection and 
the combating of exclusion.  

Article 34 of the Charter of Fundamental  Rights of the European Union  sets  out  the 
recognition and respect for the right to social and housing assistance to ensure a decent 
existence for all those who lack sufficient resources, in accordance with the rules laid 
down by Union law and national laws and practices.  
Article 31 of the European Social Charter (revised)13 confirms the commitment of all 
parties  to  promote  access  to  housing  of  an  adequate  standard,  to  prevent  and  reduce 
homelessness with a view to its gradual elimination and to make the price of housing 
accessible to those without adequate resources.  

In November 2017, the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and 
the  Commission  proclaimed  the  European  Pillar  of  Social  Rights14.  Its  principle  19 
provides for the right  to access  to  social housing, housing assistance of good quality 
and  protection  against  forced  eviction  for  those  in  need.  It  also  states  that  adequate 
shelter  and  services  are  to  be  provided  to  the  homeless  to  promote  their  social 
inclusion.   
Council Recommendation (EU) 2021/1004 establishing a European Child Guarantee15 
calls on Member States to ensure, among other things, effective access for children in 
need  to  adequate  housing,  with  specific  attention  to  preventing  and  addressing 
families.  The  Council  Recommendation 
homelessness  among  children  and 

13 https://www.coe.int/en/web/conventions/full-list?module=treaty-detail&treatynum=163.  
14  Interinstitutional Proclamation on the European Pillar of Social Rights.  
15  Council Recommendation 2021/1004 of 14 June 2021 on establishing a European Child Guarantee.  

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(2023/C41/01)  on  adequate  minimum  income  ensuring  active  inclusion16  calls  for 
comprehensive  strategies  that  combine  adequate  income  support,  inclusive  labour 
markets, and access to enabling and essential services, including housing. The Council 
Recommendation 
framework 
conditions17 calls on Member States to acknowledge and support the role of the social 
economy  in  providing  accessible  and  high-quality  social  and  care  services  and 
housing,  also  taking  into  consideration  disadvantaged  groups,  in  close  cooperation 
with publicly available social services.  

(C/2023/1344)  on  developing  social  economy 

inclusion  and 
Council  Recommendation  (2021/C  93/01)  on  Roma  equality, 
participation18  calls  on  Member  States  to  ensure  equal  treatment  of  Roma  people  in 
access to, among other things, adequate desegregated housing and essential services.19 
The LGBTIQ+ Equality Strategy 2026-2030 stresses that discrimination and a lack of 
social  acceptance  contribute  to  high  levels  of  poverty  and  homelessness  among 
LGBTIQ+  people.  In  the  Communication  “Enhancing  the  strategy  for  the  rights  of 
persons  with  disabilities  until  2030”,  the  Commission  calls  for  ensuring  access  to 
affordable and accessible housing for persons with disabilities. 

Council Recommendation (2022/C 476/01) on access to affordable high-quality long-
term  care20  calls  on  Member  States  to  expand  formal  long-term  care  services, 
especially home and community-based care. Housing that is adapted to an individuals’ 
needs  for  evolving  care  needs  is  a  fundamental  prerequisite  for  ageing  in  place, 
enabling the provision of home-based care and helping to avoid unnecessary recourse 
to residential care.   

Directive  2014/92/EU  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  on  the 
comparability  of  fees  related  to  payment  accounts,  payment  account  switching  and 
access to payment accounts with basic features21 (“the Payment Accounts Directive”) 
states in art 16(2) that Member States shall ensure that consumers legally resident in 
the Union, including consumers with no fixed address, have the right to open and use a 
payment account with basic features with credit institutions located in their territory. 
Such a right shall apply irrespective of the consumer’s place of residence.  
The  Lisbon  Declaration  on  the  European  Platform  on  Combatting  Homelessness22, 
was adopted on 21 June 2021 by EU institutions, Member States, social partners, and 
civil  society  organisations.  It  commits  all  its  signatories  to  work  towards  ending 
homelessness  in  the  European  Union  by  2030  and  launch  a  European  Platform  on 
Combatting  Homelessness  to  promote  the  design  and  implementation  of  person-
centred, housing-led and integrated approaches.  

(6) 

(7) 

(8) 

(9) 

16  Council  Recommendation  2023/C  41/01  of  30  January  2023  on  adequate  minimum  income  ensuring  active 

inclusion.  

17 Council  Recommendation  C/2023/1344  of  27  November  2023  on  developing  social  economy  framework 

conditions.   

18  Council Recommendation 2021/C 93/01 of 12 March 2021 on Roma equality, inclusion and participation. 
19 Complemented  by  Communication  from  the  Commission  to  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council:  A 
Union  of  Equality:  EU  Roma  strategic  framework  for  equality,  inclusion  and  participation  COM/2020/620 
final. 

20  Council Recommendation 2022/C 476/01 of 8 December 2022 on access to affordable high-quality long-term 

care. 

21  Directive 2014/92/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 2014 on the comparability of 
fees  related  to  payment  accounts,  payment  account  switching  and  access  to  payment  accounts  with  basic 
features. 

22  Lisbon Declaration on the European Platform on Combating Homelessness (21 June 2021, Lisbon, Portugal). 

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(10)  The  “La  Hulpe  Declaration”23,  adopted  on  16  April  2024  at  the  High-Level 
Conference on the European Pillar of Social Rights, acknowledges that homelessness 
remains an issue in many Member States and calls for continued action on accessible, 
efficient,  green  and  affordable  social  housing  to  meet  the  housing  needs  of  all,  to 
eradicate  homelessness  and  to  promote  a  “housing  first”  approach.  The  Declaration 
also  acknowledges  the  importance  of  the  European  Platform  on  Combatting 
Homelessness.  
In its Resolution adopted on 24 November 202024, the European Parliament  stressed 
that  housing  is  a  fundamental  human  right  and  called  for  stronger  action  from  the 
Commission  and  Member  States  to  end  homelessness  in  the  EU  by  2030.  In  its 
Resolution adopted on 10 March 202625, the European Parliament underlined the need 
for  a  European  approach  and  solutions  to  ensure  the  availability  of  decent  and 
affordable housing and called on Member States to  develop  and implement  housing-
led strategies to reduce homelessness. The Resolution also calls on the Commission to 
provide policy support to tackle homelessness and to monitor progress in this regard.  

(11) 

(12)  The Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/543 of 22 March 201726 laying 
down  rules  for  the  application  of  Regulation  (EC)  No  763/2008  of  the  European 
Parliament  and  of  the  Council  on  population  and  housing  censuses  as  regards  the 
technical  specifications  of  the  topics  and  of  their  breakdowns  sets  out  the  statistical 
definitions in relations to homelessness.  
In  its  Opinion  on  eradicating  homelessness  in  the  European  Union27,  adopted  on  2 
December 2021, the European Committee of the Regions welcomed the launch of the 
Platform  and  underlined  four  important  strands  of  action  for  it,  namely  mutual 
learning,  promoting  access  to  funding,  data  collection  and  policy  monitoring,  and 
identifying and helping to upscale promising innovations. 

(13) 

(14) 

In  its  Opinion  for  an  EU  framework  for  national  homeless  strategies  based  on  the 
principle of “Housing First”28, adopted on 13 December 2023, the European Economic 
and  Social  Committee  called  for  the  development  of  an  EU  homelessness  strategy, 
making  it  possible  to  include  national  policies  to  combat  homelessness  in  the 
European  Semester.  It  also  suggested  that  this  strategy  should  be  underpinned  by  a 
Council Recommendation on homelessness.   

(15)  The 2026 Joint Employment Report29 notes that Member States should take action to 
support access to quality and affordable housing, social housing or housing assistance, 
where  appropriate,  prevent  and  tackle  homelessness  as  the  most  extreme  form  of 
poverty,  address  social  exclusion  through  integrated,  person-centred  and  housing-led 
strategic approaches and promote the renovation of residential and social housing.  

23 La Hulpe Declaration on the Future of the European Pillar of Social Rights (16 April 2024, La Hulpe, 
   Belgium). 
24 https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2020-0314_EN.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com.  
25 https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-10-2026-0064_EN.html   
26 Commission  Implementing  Regulation  2017/543  of 22  March  2017  laying down  rules  for  the  application of 
Regulation  (EC)  No  763/2008  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  on  population  and  housing 
censuses as regards the technical specifications of the topics and of their breakdowns. 

27 Opinion  COR  2021/03911of  the  European  Committee  of  the  Regions  -  Eradicating  homelessness  in  the 

European Union: the local and regional perspective 

28 Opinion  EESC  2023/01741of  the  European  Economic  and  Social  Committee  on  For  an  EU  framework  for 

national homeless strategies based on the principle of ‘Housing First’  

29 European Commission: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, Joint employment 
report  2026  –  As  adopted  by  the  EPSCO  Council  on  9  March  2026,  Publications  Office  of  the  European 
Union, 2026. 

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(16)  The European Affordable Housing Plan30 adopted  on 16 December 2025,  recognises 
that  some  social  groups  are  disproportionately  impacted  by  rising  housing  costs  and 
limited  access  to  social  and  affordable  homes,  and  that  homelessness  is  a  persistent 
and  complex  challenge  to  be  addressed  through  housing-led  solutions,  such  as  the 
‘Housing  First’  approach,  accompanied  by  integrated  approaches  to  combat  poverty 
and exclusion.  

(17)  Homelessness  remains  the  most  extreme  and  visible  manifestation  of  poverty  and 
social exclusion in  the European Union.  It  affects  individuals  and families across  all 
Member States, and undermines the principles of dignity, equality, and social justice 
on which the Union is founded. Despite the efforts made to date, homelessness is on 
the rise in several Member States and it is estimated to affect more than one million 
people31. 

(18)  Housing  exclusion  refers  to  the  inability  of  an  individual  or  household  to  access  or 
maintain decent, stable housing that meets basic standards of safety, legal security, and 
affordability. Homelessness is its most visible and extreme form and it includes people 
sleeping  rough  and  in  emergency  and  temporary  accommodation  for  the  homeless. 
However, housing exclusion is broader and includes those who have a roof over their 
heads  but  live  in  conditions  that  are  inadequate  and/or  insecure.  Insecure  housing 
occurs  when  individuals  encounter  threats  of  eviction,  domestic  abuse,  or  hold 
unstable  tenancy  agreements.  Inadequate  housing  occurs  when  individuals  occupy 
dwellings  of  sub-standard  quality  that  lack  basic  facilities  (such  as  indoor  flushing 
toilets  or  washing  facilities).  These  dwellings  can  be  in  very  poor  conditions,  in  a 
severely overcrowded situation or not adapted to people with additional needs (such as 
the elderly, persons with disabilities and those with long-term care needs).  

(19)  Housing  is  a  key  social  determinant  of  health  and  social  inclusion,  and  the  lack  of 
housing or poor-quality housing can be detrimental to health, well-being, employment 
and educational opportunities of individuals and communities. 

(20)  Housing exclusion and homelessness are driven by a complex interaction of structural, 
institutional,  and  personal  factors.  These  include  poverty,  unemployment,  a  lack  of 
social  and  affordable  housing,  discrimination,  poor  mental  and  physical  health, 
substance abuse, and domestic violence.  

(21) 

In 2024, nearly 6% of people aged 16 years or over in the Union who were looking for 
housing  in  the  last  5  years,  reported  that  they  had  felt  discriminated  against  at  least 
once. The share of those who felt discriminated against was twice as high for people at 
risk  of  poverty  or  social  exclusion  (10%)  compared  with  those  not  at  risk  (5%). 
Around 17% of the Union population in 2024 were living in an overcrowded home. 

(22)  The  lack  of  social  and  affordable  housing  is  a  major  obstacle  in  the  fight  against 
housing  exclusion  and  homelessness.  Between  2013  and  2024,  house  prices  in 
nominal terms have increased by more than 60% across the Union, growing faster than 
household income, with few Member States experienced average increases up to more 
than  220%  in  nominal  prices.  At  the  same  time,  average  rents  have  risen  by  around 
20% while in general, new rental contracts are significantly more expensive than the 
older  ones,  especially  in  urban  and  touristic  areas.  Housing  costs,  including  water, 
electricity, gas and other fuels, have increased in 17 Member States, compared to the 

30 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and 
Social  Committee  and  the  Committee  of  the  Regions  COM/2025/1025  final:  The  European  Affordable 
Housing Plan 

31 OECD Affordable Housing Database | OECD 

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(23) 

(24) 

(25) 

Union average, with an increase up to more than 80% above the EU average in some 
Member States and decreased in 10 other Member States.  

Investments  in  housing  supply  have  declined  markedly  over  the  last  decade.  Supply 
has not kept up with rising demand due to high construction costs, innovation deficits, 
shortages of skilled labour and excessive red tape. In particular, construction prices in 
the  Union  have  risen  by  56%  between  2010  and  2024,  with  some  Member  States 
seeing  increases  of  more  than  170%.  Residential  building  permits  (number  of 
dwellings) have fallen by 22% between 2021 and 2024 and the existing housing stock 
has  not  been  used  to  its  full  potential,  with  around  20%  of  dwellings  across  the  EU 
remaining  vacant  or  underoccupied  (including  seasonal  or  secondary  residences  and 
housing units purchased as investments and not used as primary residences) 

In  this  context,  increasing  the  supply  of  social  and  affordable  housing  is  crucial  to 
tackling  housing  exclusion.  In  particular,  new  investments  are  needed  to  support  the 
construction  of  new  dwellings,  renovation,  and  when  possible,  using  the  existing 
underoccupied  and  unoccupied  (20%  dwellings)  more  efficiently,  including  via 
incentivising renting private owned properties, repurposing of existing building stock 
e.g.  of  office  buildings.  The  revision  of  State  aid  rules  on  Services  of  General 
Economic Interest as part of the European Affordable Housing Plan and the Mid-term 
Regulation for the review of the EU Cohesion policy funds32 contribute to developing 
an  enabling  framework  for  investments  in  social  and  affordable  housing  (by  March 
2026  at  least  EUR  about  3.3  billion  were  reallocated  by  the  Member  States  and 
regions  to  affordable  and  sustainable  housing  under  the  mid-term  review).  The  mid-
term regulatory flexibilities and the possibility for a higher Union co-financing rate for 
housing  investments  remain  available  to  support  further  reprogramming  until  2029-
2030.  

In  line  with  the  principles  of  the  New  European  Bauhaus,  access  to  adequate, 
sustainable,  affordable  and  quality  housing  should  be  considered  part  of  a  broader 
social  and  territorial  ecosystem  that  supports  inclusion,  community  life,  labour 
mobility, access to education and training, health, long-term care, independent living 
and the social cohesion. Housing policies are more effective and create an added social 
value where they are combined with place-based measures, community infrastructure 
and  services  and  designed  to  promote  inclusive  and  sustainable  neighbourhoods  that 
meet the needs of the inhabitants 

(26)  To  expand  supply  and  affordability,  Member  States  can  take  advantage  of  different 
housing  models,  including  social  and  public  housing,  cost-rental  and  limited-profit 
housing,  housing  cooperatives,  social  rental  agencies  and  other  non-profit  or  public-
interest  models.  These  models, often delivered  by social economy  organisations, can 
contribute to long-term affordability, reduce exposure to speculation and help mobilise 
existing  dwellings,  land  and  investment.  Innovative  cohabitation  concepts,  including 
intergenerational  living,  co-housing  and  shared-space  arrangements,  can  also  help 
address  social  isolation,  under-occupation  of  buildings  and  local  housing  shortages. 
Mutual learning can help to identify successful models already implemented in other 
Member States. 

(27)  Scaling  up  social  and  affordable  housing  supply  requires  stable  governance  and 
investment  frameworks,  including  public-private  partnerships,  and  cooperation 

32 Regulation  2025/1914  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  18  September  2025  amending 
Regulations  2021/1058  and  2021/1056  as  regards  specific  measures  to  address  strategic  challenges  in  the 
context of the mid-term review. 

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between  public  authorities,  social  economy  organisations,  social  and  affordable 
housing providers, educational institutions, employers, financial institutions and other 
stakeholders. Blended finance, revolving funds, public guarantees, long-term leases on 
public land and other public-interest financing mechanisms can help mobilise patient 
capital  and  support  long-term  affordability.  In  addition,  Member  States  can  also 
promote  and  support  innovative  and  inclusive  bottom-up  housing  projects,  where 
future residents plan and finance their housing project collectively. 

(28)  Housing  exclusion  and  homelessness  may  disproportionately  affect  certain 
populations,  with  the  scale  and  composition  of  those  affected  varying  significantly 
depending  on national /  regional  circumstances.  Certain  people and groups may face 
particular disadvantages in access to housing and a higher risk of housing exclusion or 
homelessness. These include young people (such as students unable to afford or access 
student housing; or those leaving institutional or alternative care), unemployed people, 
vulnerable families (including single parents) with children, victims and survivors of 
gender-based violence, persons with disabilities or long-term care needs, older people 
in  precarious  housing  situation,  people  with  a  Roma  background,  people  with  a 
migrant  background,  people  belonging  to  racial  or  ethnic  minorities  and  LGBTIQ+ 
people. 

(29)  Prevention of housing exclusion and homelessness, combined with access to adequate 
and  secure  housing  and  comprehensive,  person-centred  support  services,  is  the  most 
effective  approach  to  ending  homelessness.  Therefore,  Member  States  should  be 
invited  to  establish  effective  prevention  policies  which  encompass  universal 
prevention  measures,  upstream  interventions  targeting  high-risk  population,  crisis 
prevention  for  persons  and  households  facing 
imminent  homelessness,  and 
emergency-stage  interventions  prevention  to  secure  urgent  access  to  temporary 
accommodation.  

(30)  Early  intervention  tools  such  as  rent  and  mortgages  arrears  mediation,  debt 
counselling,  legal  assistance  concerning  tenants  and  landlord  rights,  early-warning 
systems, and short-term financial support are not consistently available across Member 
States,  and  strengthening  these  mechanisms  is  essential  to  preventing  housing 
exclusion effectively.  

(31)  Preventing forced and arbitrary evictions and support during relocations requires a fair 
legal  framework  for  tenants’  security  and  landlords’  rights.  Cooperation  with  local 
authorities, social services, and mediation options, including the social rental agencies, 
can reduce housing instability and ease transitions.   

(32)  Housing-led  approaches,  including  the  Housing  First  model,  which  combine  rapid 
access  to  permanent  housing  with  personalised  and  integrated  support  services,  have 
demonstrated  sustainable  positive  outcomes  in  preventing  and  reducing  housing 
exclusion and homelessness and promoting social and economic integration.  

(33)  Administrative  requirements  for  accessing  assistance,  including  the  obligation  to 
provide  proof  of  permanent  residence,  may  create  barriers  for  people  experiencing 
homelessness or housing exclusion. Removing or adapting  such requirements,  where 
appropriate,  can  improve  the  take-up  of  available  support  and  help  tackle  the  root 
causes of housing exclusion.  

(34)  Rising  housing  costs  and  limited  access  to  social  and  affordable  housing  hinders 
labour  market  mobility,  as  individuals  may  be  unable  to  move  to  areas  where 
employment opportunities are available. This can affect competitiveness and economic 

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growth. Addressing housing affordability and availability is  crucial to support labour 
market participation and ensure the efficient functioning of labour markets. 

(35)  Differences in definitions, monitoring systems and data collection methodologies used 
across  Member  States  limit  the  availability  of  comparable  data  on  homelessness  at 
Union level.  

(36)  Reliable,  comprehensive,  and  regularly  collected  data  and  statistical  evidence  on 
housing  exclusion  and  homelessness  are  crucial  for  effective  policy  design, 
monitoring,  and  evaluation,  which  helps  to  assess  progress  without  increasing 
administrative burden.   

(37)  Tackling housing exclusion and homelessness requires cross-sectoral coordination and 
multi-level  governance  involving  the  European  Union,  national,  regional,  and  local 
authorities,  alongside  civil  society,  social  economy  organisations,  housing  providers, 
and people with lived experience of homelessness. 

(38)  Partnerships with organisations offering support to homeless people and people facing 
housing  exclusion  more  broadly  can  strengthen  public  efforts  to  offer  services  that 
foster  social  inclusion  and  create  stable  housing  solutions  for  specific  target  groups. 
By  providing  additional  services  such  as  work 
integration,  social  economy 
organisations can help ensure a transition to a stable life. 

(39)  Effective action to prevent and reduce housing exclusion requires adequate and stable, 
funding,  as  well  as  the  efficient  use  and  coordination  of  available  Union,  national, 
regional,  and 
in  accordance  with  Member  States’ 
competences and budgetary frameworks.  

local  financial  resources, 

(40)  The  European  Platform  on  Combatting  Homelessness  is  the  established  cooperation 
framework  at  EU  level  on  homelessness  and  housing  exclusion.  It  provides 
collaborative forum for knowledge building, mutual learning, and cooperation among 
Member  States  and  stakeholders,  contributing  to  evidence-based  policymaking  and 
stronger  implementation  capacity.  It  is  the  established  governance  framework  at  EU 
level on homelessness and housing exclusion.  

(41)  The  signatories  of  the  Lisbon  Declaration  on  the  European  Platform  on  Combatting 
Homelessness committed themselves to work towards the ending of homelessness by 
2030, so that: 

(i) 

no  one  sleeps  rough  for  lack  of  accessible,  safe  and  appropriate  emergency 
accommodation; 

(ii)  no  one  lives  in  emergency  or  transitional  accommodation  longer  than  is 

required for successful a move to a permanent housing solution;  

(iii)  no  one  is  discharged  from  any  institution  (e.g.  prison,  hospital,  care  facility) 

without an offer of appropriate housing;  

(iv)  evictions should be prevented whenever possible and no one is evicted without 

assistance for an appropriate housing solution, when needed; 

(v)  no one is discriminated against due to their homelessness status.   

(42) 

‘ETHOS’,  the  European  Typology  of  Homelessness  and  Housing  Exclusion,  was 
developed  as  a  framework 
improve  understanding  and  measurement  of 
homelessness  in  Europe,  and  to  provide  a  common  "language"  for  transnational 
exchanges  on  homelessness.  The  ETHOS  classification  includes  all  living  situations 
that amount to forms of homelessness and housing exclusion, namely:  

to 

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– 

rooflessness (without a shelter of any kind, sleeping rough); 

–  houselessness (with a place to sleep but temporary in institutions or shelter); 

– 

living  in  insecure  housing  (threatened  with  severe  exclusion  due  to  insecure 
temporarily  with 

violence, 

domestic 

eviction, 

living 

tenancies, 
family/friends); 

– 

living  in  inadequate  housing  (in  temporary  or  non-conventional  structures,  in 

unfit housing, in extreme overcrowding). 

HAS ADOPTED THIS RECOMMENDATION 

SUBJECT MATTER 

(1) 

This  Recommendation  provides  guidance  on  combatting  social  exclusion,  and  in 
particular: 

(a) 

(b)  

on supporting Member States in preventing and addressing housing exclusion 
of  vulnerable  persons  in,  or  at-risk  of,  precarious  housing  situations  and  of 
homeless persons;  

on  promoting  the  design,  implementation  and  improvement  of  national, 
regional  and/or  local  strategic  frameworks  based  on  person-centred,  housing-
led and integrated policies. 

DEFINITIONS 

(2) 

For the purpose of this Recommendation, the following definitions apply: 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

‘housing exclusion’ means situations  in  which individuals  or households  lack 
access  to  adequate  and/or  secure  housing.  It  encompasses  notably  homeless 
people  (i.e.  the  roofless  or  houseless)  and  those  living  involuntarily  in 
precarious housing situations, such as in inadequate or insecure housing; 

‘emergency  accommodation’  means  accommodation,  such  as  night  shelters, 
whose primary purpose is to address an urgent need for shelters and access to 
basic facilities; 

‘temporary accommodation’ means time-limited housing that is provided while 
a permanent housing solution is being sought for;  

‘housing-led  approaches’  means  policy  and  service  delivery  models  that 
prioritise the provision  of rapid  access  to  adequate, affordable and permanent 
housing, accompanied, where necessary, by integrated, person-centred support 
services for housing stability and social inclusion, such as Housing First.  

CROSS-CUTTING RECOMMENDATIONS 

(3) 

Member States are recommended to:  

(a) 

adopt  or  revise  strategic  frameworks  on  fighting  housing  exclusion  and 
homelessness  on  the  basis  of  person-centred,  housing-led  and  integrated 
policies  in  line  with  this  Recommendation,  with  a  view  to  reinforcing  efforts 
towards ending homelessness in the European Union. This should be done with 

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the  involvement  and  participation  of  regional  and  local  authorities  and 
respecting the distribution of competences within Member States; 

(b)  define,  with  respect  to  national  contexts,  precarious  housing  situations,  in 

particular taking into account poverty or social exclusion risks;   

(c)  develop  tailored  measures  to  fight  housing  exclusion  and  homelessness  and 
adopt a person-centred approach drawing, where appropriate, on the principles 
of  the  New  European  Bauhaus,  including  participatory,  place-based  and 
inclusive design, with the provision of integrated services like social assistance, 
healthcare,  long-term  care  and  labour  market  activation,  combined  with 
housing assistance; 

(d) 

set  relevant,  time-bound,  achievable  and  measurable  objectives, including  the 
following:  

every  person  sleeping  rough  (those  in  ‘primary  homelessness’33, 
i/ 
sleeping in the streets without taking shelter in any living quarters) receives an 
offer of emergency accommodation; 

ii/ 
people  living  in  emergency  or  temporary  accommodation  (those  in 
‘secondary homelessness’) receive effective support to access to long-term and 
secure housing solutions as soon as possible.  

IDENTIFICATION  OF  PERSONS  EXPERIENCING  OR  AT  RISK  OF  HOUSING 
EXCLUSION 

(4) 

Member States are recommended to:  

(a) 

(b) 

strengthen  data  collection  on  hard-to-reach  groups,  including  homeless 
persons,  and,  without  excessive  administrative  burden,  develop  regular, 
comprehensive,  comparable  and  disaggregated  statistics  on  housing  exclusion 
and homelessness at national and local levels; 

align  criteria  for  identifying  people  experiencing,  or  at  risk  of,  housing 
exclusion,  across  relevant  services,  such  as  social,  employment,  education, 
justice,  and  child  protection  services,  and  build  up  rapid  effective  and  timely 
information-sharing between these services; 

(c)  on  the  basis  of  the  data  collected  and  the  aligned  criteria  for  identifying 
housing  exclusion,  establish  early-warning  systems  to  identify  households  at 
risk  of  housing  exclusion,  ensuring  timely  outreach  and  prevention  support; 
quantify  and  assess  the  housing  needs  of  homeless  persons  and  those  in 
precarious  housing  situations;  develop  tailored  identification  strategies  for 
those frequently undercounted or hidden. 

PREVENTION OF HOUSING EXCLUSION  

(5) 

Member States are recommended to:  

33 Commission  Implementing  Regulation  2017/543  of 22  March  2017  laying down  rules  for  the  application of 
Regulation  (EC)  No  763/2008  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  on  population  and  housing 
censuses as regards the technical specifications of the topics and of their breakdowns. 

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22 

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(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

(f) 

support,  in  their  strategic  frameworks,  those  at  risk  of  housing  exclusion  to 
retain adequate housing through targeted measures including debt and housing 
counselling,  early-warning  systems,  emergency  rental  assistance,  mediation, 
and  other  mitigation  actions.  Ensure  the  availability  of  adapted  housing  for 
persons  with  disabilities  or 
long-term  care  needs,  while  avoiding 
disproportionate burdens on construction and renovation; 

ensure timely and effective access to information on available housing, social 
and income support measures, and conduct outreach to reduce non-take-up of 
entitlements; 

regularly  assess  the  adequacy  of  income  support,  including  housing-related 
allowances,  minimum  income and child benefits, in  relation  to housing costs, 
with adjustment mechanisms responsive to cost trends. This assessment should 
also  serve  as  evidence  to  avoid  the  creation  of  poverty  traps,  whereby  social 
support creates labour disincentives;  

strengthen  the  prevention  from  and  protection  against  forced  and  arbitrary 
evictions,  particularly  for  families  with  children,  with  special  attention  to 
single-parent  households.  Member  States  should  ensure  transparent,  timely 
procedures  respecting  proportionality,  due  process  and  effective  remedies, 
while respecting landlords’ rights;   

ensure that no child  lacks adequate housing, guaranteeing  timely  and suitable 
alternative  accommodation  when  needed,  while  preserving  family  unity  in 
child’s best interest;  

ensure that no minor or young adult leaves institutional or foster care without 
adequate  housing  and  support  services.  Access  to  financial  support  or 
incentives  should  be  facilitated  for  those  lacking  guarantors  or  funds  for 
deposits for example through social economy  organisations facilitating access 
to microfinance;  

(g)  put  in  place  early  preventive  counselling  in  educational  establishments,  work 
or  youth  institutional  settings  to  help  detect  situations  of  distress,  facilitate 
appropriate  referrals  to the competent  services  and  prevent  housing exclusion 
among children and young people; 

(h)  make counselling  and  social support  available  for older persons in  precarious 

housing situations to prevent housing exclusion; 

(i) 

(j) 

ensure equal treatment of people at risk of discrimination in access to adequate 
housing and essential services; 

provide  timely,  personalised  support  for  people  leaving  institutions,  such  as 
prisons, hospitals and care facilities to secure long-term housing.  

SUPPORT TO PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS  

(6) 

To  reduce  the  length  of  time  that  people  experience  homelessness  or  rely  on 
emergency  or  temporary  accommodation,  Member  States  are  recommended  to 
provide a person-centred, integrated and accessible support through: 

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(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

(f) 

(g) 

accessible  and  inclusive  support  systems,  including,  for  example,  individual 
needs  assessment,  tailored  support  plans  and  case  management  for  the  most 
complex  cases;  by  outreach  and  community-based  multi-disciplinary  teams 
involving health and care professionals and social workers;  

standards  ensuring  consistent,  high-quality  support  services,  including  child-
specific support;  

a  one-stop-shop  approach  with  timely,  simplified  referrals  to  relevant  social 
security agencies, social assistance, and low-barrier social and health services; 

support  systems  helping  prevent  unnecessary  family  separation,  in  the  best 
interests  of  the  child  and  ensuring  that  no  child  remains  roofless  or  in 
emergency 
forms  of 
houselessness;  

temporary  accommodation  or  other 

shelters, 

active  employment  support,  including  by  facilitating  registration  with  the 
employment  services,  and  developing  personalised  pathways  to  employment, 
social and job-retention support and support for employers;   

ensuring  that  people  experiencing  homelessness  are  informed  of  their  rights 
under  Union  legislation34  to  open  and  use  a  payment  account  with  basic 
features  with  credit  institutions  located  in  their  territory,  irrespective  of 
whether they have a fixed address;   

expanding access to stable housing solutions for homeless people, particularly 
families  with  children,  through  cooperation  with  housing  providers,  social 
rental agencies  and inclusive allocation mechanisms, and through  cooperative 
and community-based models accompanied by appropriate support services;  

(h)   ensuring  that  emergency  and  temporary  accommodation,  including  gender-
segregated accommodation, is available, safe, accessible and sufficient to meet 
the  needs  of  all  people  experiencing  homelessness,  including  for  victims  of 
domestic  and  sexual  violence,  while  supporting  their  transition  to  stable 
housing;  

(i)  

recognising  and  supporting  the  role  of  people  with  lived  experience  of 
homelessness  in  improving  trust,  access  and  the  effectiveness  of  support 
services measures facilitating access to social inclusion and housing;  

(j)  measures to prevent and address stigmatisation and discriminatory practices in 
access  to  housing  such  as  transparent  criteria  for  social  housing  waiting  lists, 
anti-bias  training  for  housing  professionals  and  support  services  for  tenants 
facing discrimination.  

ACCESS TO ADEQUATE AND SECURE HOUSING SOLUTIONS  

(7) 

Member  States  are  recommended  to  boost  the  supply  of  social  and  affordable 
housing, in response to demographic needs, local shortages and territorial disparities, 
in particular by: 

(a)  promoting long-term rentals conditions for private landlords and tenants by: 

34  Directive 2014/92/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 2014 on the comparability of  
fees  related  to  payment  accounts,  payment  account  switching  and  access  to  payment  accounts  with  basic 
features. 

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– 

– 

– 

– 

ensuring  a  legal  framework  that  facilitates  widespread  use  of  long-term 
rental contracts, 

allowing,  where  appropriate,  the  targeted  use  of  proportionate  tax  and 
financial incentives for landlords to offer long-term housing solutions, in 
particular for families and young people, 

decreasing the legal uncertainty and duration of eviction procedures and 

balancing  long-term  rental  stock  being  used  for  short-term  rental 
purposes when duly justified by the housing crisis; 

incentivising  both  public  and  private  investments  in  new  built,  renovation  or 
repurposing  of  existing  buildings  to  expand  social  and  affordable  housing 
stock;  

enabling  and  supporting  affordability-oriented  housing  models,  including 
social  and  public  housing,  housing  cooperatives,  limited-profit  housing 
associations, community land trusts as well as other social rental agencies and 
other limited profit or non-profit approaches; 

(b) 

(c) 

(d)  promoting  and  scaling  up  innovative  cohabitation  concepts,  such  as  shared 
living  spaces,  cluster  housing,  co-housing  and  intergenerational  housing 
arrangements,  including  with  shared  facilities  and  support  services  where 
relevant;  and  facilitating  temporary  and  transitional  housing  models  for 
students  and  young  people,  for  instance  matching  students  with  residents  in 
underused dwellings;  

(e) 

streamlining  national,  regional  and  local  planning  and  permitting  procedures 
for  faster  housing  construction,  while  pursuing  social  inclusion  and  spatial 
cohesion,  and  reducing  administrative  barriers  affecting  construction  services 
providers supporting the timely delivery of new social and affordable housing 
where needed, including through the use and mobilisation of public land, while 
ensuring  that  it  is  well-connected  to  essential  socioeconomic  services  and 
activities; 

(f) 

enhancing  the  efficient  use  of  existing  housing  stock,  in  particular  by 
facilitating the repurposing, renovation and reuse of existing buildings and by 
mobilising vacant dwellings and public properties, limiting as much as possible 
unnecessary demolitions; 

(g) 

improving availability of and access to shelters and transitional housing, until 
permanent housing solutions are available; 

(h)  dedicating  a  set  share  of  new  housing  developments  to  social  and  affordable 

housing, reflecting local housing needs. 

(8) 

Complementing efforts to boost housing supply, Member States are recommended to 
put  in  place  adequate,  predictable  and  sustainable  funding  and  investment 
frameworks  in  their  national  strategies.  Member  States  are  also  recommended  to 
make full use of the EU funding and tools available, including the forthcoming Pan-
European Investment Platform for affordable and sustainable housing  announced in 
the European Affordable Housing Plan35. These measures can help optimise the use 

35 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and 
Social  Committee  and  the  Committee  of  the  Regions  COM/2025/1025  final:  The  European  Affordable 
Housing Plan. 

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of  national  and  Union  resources  and  scale  up  long-term,  inclusive  and  affordable 
housing solutions, including by: 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

aligning  and  coordinating  resources  across  housing,  social 
inclusion, 
employment,  education,  health,  long-term  care,  urban  regeneration  and 
renovation policies, to boost policy coherence and impact; 

ensuring  that  publicly  supported  action  includes,  where  appropriate,  clear 
conditions on affordability, accessibility, sustainability and inclusive allocation 
of housing and links to community-based services;  

implementing  innovative  financing  models,  such  as  revolving  funds,  blended 
financing  and  public  guarantees,  to  support  the  long-term  affordability  of 
housing  supply  and  to  mobilise  both  public  and  private  capital  for  affordable 
and social housing;  

(d)  discouraging  speculative  behaviours  in  the  housing  market,  including  by 
designing effective taxation policies and improving market transparency;  

(e) 

(f) 

(g) 

supporting project development and technical assistance for local and regional 
authorities,  social  economy  organisations  and  limited  or  non-profit  housing 
providers; 

promoting public-private partnerships, including  with  local  authorities,  higher 
education  institutions,  employers,  housing  providers  and  social  economy 
organisations  to  deliver  social  and  affordable  housing,  including  student, 
trainee and mixed-use housing projects; 

stepping  up  investments  to  support  the  construction  and  renovation  of 
affordable  and  social  housing, 
taking  up  financial 
instruments  and  blended  funding  under  the  current  cohesion  policy,  while 
using  the  flexibilities  offered  under  its  mid-term  review,36  to  re-allocate  EU 
funding  towards  affordable  housing;  and  leveraging  the  reviewed  Services  of 
General Economic Interest State aid rules37, which contain dedicated categories 
for both social and affordable housing. 

including 

through 

(9) 

Member States are recommended to support people experiencing housing exclusion 
in accessing and retaining stable housing through:  

(a)  promoting  access  to  permanent  housing,  in  line  with  a  housing-led  approach, 
sustained  funding  and  a  cross-sectoral  coordination  of  measures  including 
access to the labour market and other services; 

(b)  putting  in  place  adequate  and  appropriate 

integrated  support  services 
addressing  not  only  the  transition  to  but  also  the  retention  of  adequate  and 
secure  housing.  These  should  include  house-search  support,  up  and  reskilling 
and  support  to  access  and  retain  employment,  financial  and  legal  assistance, 
individuals  from 
life-skills 
experiencing housing exclusion again; 

training  and  follow-up  support 

to  prevent 

36 Regulation  2025/1914  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  18  September  2025  amending 
Regulations  2021/1058  and  2021/1056  as  regards  specific  measures  to  address  strategic  challenges  in  the 
context of the mid-term review.  

37 Commission Decision 2025/2630 of 16 December 2025 on the application of Article 106(2) of the Treaty on 
the  Functioning  of  the  European  Union  to  State  aid  in  the  form  of  public  service  compensation  granted  to 
certain  undertakings  entrusted  with  the  operation  of  services  of  general  economic  interest  and  repealing 
Decision 2012/21. 

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(c) 

increasing 
the  availability  of  adequate  housing  solutions  for  people 
experiencing housing exclusion, in particular parents with children, and ensure 
that they are taken into account and prioritised in the allocation mechanisms for 
social housing; 

(d)  providing adequate financial support such as rent guarantees, low-interest loans 
and  housing  benefits,  accompanied  by  accessible  guidance  on  how  to  obtain 
such support and the necessary financial literacy. 

(10)  Member States are recommended to implement targeted measures  to support young 
people on low incomes, including students, who face housing  exclusion, which can 
act  as a barrier to  accessing and  completing higher education, vocational  education 
and  training,  traineeships  or  apprenticeship  programmes.  These  measures  could 
include: 

(a) 

(b) 

creating  and  using  effective  networks  between  youth  welfare  services  and 
general  social  welfare  services  to  help  young  people  find  adequate  housing 
solutions that meet their family, education and employment needs;    

increasing  the  supply  of  affordable  student  housing  close  to  education  and 
training  facilities,  including  for  students  on  study  mobility  exchanges  or  an 
internship abroad; 

(c)  providing  accessible  guidance  and  practical  support  to  advise  and  assist 
individuals  with  tenancy  rights  and  administrative  procedures,  including 
through counselling centres in educational institutions;  

(d)  providing  fiscal  incentives,  or  low-interest  loans  to  help  students  and  young 

people with limited financial means secure housing. 

(11)  Member States are recommended to combine in their national strategic frameworks 
person-centred  policies  with  place-based  ones  (such  as  urban  planning  and 
regeneration, 
to  avoid 
mismatches between employment opportunities and affordable housing, in particular 
in areas where there are unfilled employment vacancies.  

local  economic  development  and 

transport  policies) 

(12)  Member States are recommended to take measures to support housing adaptations for 
persons  with  disabilities  and/or  older  people  with  long-term  care  needs,  especially 
those at risk of poverty. This should enable them to live in their homes for as long as 
possible  and avoid  housing exclusion. These measures should be designed to  avoid 
disproportionate construction and renovation burdens. 

MONITORING, EVALUATION AND GOVERNANCE      

(13)  Member States are recommended to:  

(a)  put in place targeted monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, based on outcome 
indicators,  to  assess  the  effectiveness  of  their  strategies  on  fighting  housing 
exclusion and homelessness and provide for policy adjustments where required 
and without increasing administrative burden; 

(b) 

report  every  five  years  to  the  Commission  on  the  results  of  their  national 
monitoring  activities  and  on  progress  made 
this 
Recommendation; 

implementing 

in 

(c) 

ensure  effective  multi-level  governance  and  coordination  across  national, 
regional and local authorities, cooperation with relevant stakeholders, including 

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(d) 

(e) 

(f) 

(g) 

(h) 

(i) 

(j) 

universities, vocational education and training providers, local employers, civil 
society and social economy organisations and housing providers;  

simplify legal and administrative frameworks to reduce administrative burden 
and ensure timely and simplified access  to  housing and related social, health, 
educational, employment and community-based support services;  

strengthen  the  capacity  and  quality  of  services  intended  to  support  people 
experiencing  housing  exclusion,  including  through  training,  a  clear  allocation 
of responsibilities and adequate resources for staff providing those services;   

in the design, implementation and evaluation of policies to prevent and reduce 
housing  exclusion  and  homelessness,  ensure  the  meaningful  involvement  of 
persons  with  lived  experience  of  housing  exclusion  and  homelessness,  civil 
levels,  and  social  economy 
society  organisations,  especially  at 
organisations, including food banks;  

local 

actively contribute to the European Platform on Combatting Homelessness, as 
a key forum  for coordination, exchange  and  cooperation among stakeholders, 
in  particular  through  knowledge  sharing,  evidence  building,  and  facilitating 
access to funding, and in close synergy with the work streams of the European 
Housing Alliance;  

continue cooperating with other Member States,  as well as private and public 
stakeholders at different regional levels to support knowledge sharing, promote 
mutual learning, ensure consistent service delivery, exchange of best practices, 
effective policy design and implementation in the area of housing exclusion; 

strengthen  cooperation  with  the  EU  advisory  bodies  (the  Committee  of  the 
Regions  and  the  European  Economic  and  Social  Committee),  to  improve 
mutual  learning,  peer  reviews  and  policy  synergies  related  to  housing 
exclusion;  

promote the involvement of social partners and civil society organisations that 
play a key role in the fight against housing exclusion to ensure that EU policies 
reflect the realities on the ground, including through the involvement of people 
with lived experience of housing exclusion. 

Done at Brussels, 

For the Council 
The President 

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