Debate: Commemoration of the th anniversary of Abbé Pierre's appeal on addressing homelessness in the context of persisting poverty and social exclusion
Date: WEDNESDAY, 7 FEBRUARY 2024
Speaker: Helena Dalli
Language: EN

The share of the population at risk of poverty or social exclusion has remained broadly constant over the past years, despite the repeated shocks and crises. This can be largely attributed to effective policies and social transfers. Notwithstanding all our efforts faced with repeated economic and social challenges, homelessness keeps increasing in most Member States. According to estimates by the European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless and the Fondation Abbé Pierre, at least 895 000 people are currently homeless in Europe. So we must renew our commitment to fight homelessness. Successful examples have one clear element in common: consistency of action and long-term planning and investment. Increasing the supply of affordable housing, and, in particular, public housing and social housing, is key. As the European Commission, we are of course playing a role in this. The European Platform on Combatting Homelessness, launched in Lisbon in 2021, brings together national authorities, civil society and European institutions to combat homelessness in the EU with a Housing First approach. The Platform has become a reference point for national decision makers and the establishment of national homelessness strategies in an increasing number of Member States and, based on the work of the platform, this is a visible sign of its achievements. The social innovation call launched by the Commission, which is currently in the evaluation phase, will further support innovative grassroots projects. Furthermore, housing—led policies towards homeless people require the appropriate level of financial resources, of course, so Member States have programmed close to EUR 15 billion in their national recovery and resilience plans in connected investments and reforms, including following country—specific recommendations. The InvestEU programme dedicates a EUR 2.8 billion guarantee to social investments and skills, so this allows leveraging substantial investments on affordable housing and student housing. Cohesion policy funds, notably the European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund Plus contribute to building an integrated approach to housing for vulnerable groups. For instance, about EUR 1 billion from the European Regional Development Fund have been directly allocated to investments in housing in the scope of social inclusion over the 2021—2027 programming period. In addition, several other investments, such as support for energy efficiency in housing, which amounts to around EUR 6.2 billion, are also expected to have a positive impact on housing. More generally, the Commission has been promoting better housing policies in Member States, including in the context of the European Semester. We monitor housing policies in the European Semester and look at affordability, availability and quality of housing when we propose country—specific recommendations. Indeed, several Member States have received recommendations on this. We need to be accountable, and that is why we are also investing in better analysis and better monitoring of policies, including at city level, with the first coordinated homelessness count organised in different cities in Europe this year as a pilot project sponsored by this Parliament. The European Commission will continue to work on different fronts to support the Member States and other actors involved in combating homelessness across the EU.