It feels like a century, yet it’s only three and a half years since I first found myself in the corridors of power in Brussels.
Back then, the common view was that the EU would not get involved in housing, since it is a member-state competence. I had just been elected President of the European Confederation of Real Estate Agents (CERA) and Vice-President of the European Confederation of Real Estate Professionals (CEPI), and I decided not to listen to that consensus, trying, in my own small way, to help change the course. The timing was right. Shortly after, the 2024 European elections took place and things changed radically. From a situation where we had no one to talk to about housing issues, we gained a dedicated committee in the European Parliament (known as HOUS) and a Commissioner, currently Dan Jørgensen, a joint portfolio along with Energy. A great deal of political activity has unfolded through these institutions since then. Results continue to be produced at an almost relentless pace — impressive by any measure, for those who know the reality of Brussels.
The European Commission has now moved from declaring the need for more and more affordable housing to a more concrete European policy framework. Following the European Affordable Housing Plan, presented at the end of 2025, the Commission presented on September 9, 2026 the proposal for the Affordable Housing Act — the first common European legislative framework for addressing housing pressure.
The Affordable Housing Act is, of course, not yet law. It is a proposed Regulation, accompanied by a Commission Recommendation, and its aim is to give national, regional, and local authorities greater legal clarity when dealing with areas where housing is becoming inaccessible.
Admittedly, many of its provisions are far removed from my own approach and proposals, as I had the opportunity to pour forward them in various fora and institutions including a very honorary invitation to speak in the HOUS Committee of the European Parliament. The central innovation of the proposal is the ability to designate “housing pressure areas” using objective criteria, such as the ratio of housing prices to income, price trends, and other affordability data. In these areas, targeted measures can be adopted, provided they are evidence-based, necessary, and proportionate.
Developing arguments during a speech in the HOUS Committee of the European Parliament with Chair Irene Tinagli MEP
Of particular importance is how the framework addresses short-term rentals (STRs). Restrictions may be imposed where there is evidence that short-term rentals significantly affect housing availability or affordability for at least three years. At the same time, the framework treats housing pressure as also linked to other factors, such as second homes and prolonged vacancy of properties. These are clearly points that deserve extensive discussion, which we will have time for in the near future.
Fortunately, the policy direction is not limited to restrictions. The European Affordable Housing Plan also provides for increasing supply, mobilizing public and private investment through the EIB, changes to state aid rules, faster planning and permitting procedures, renovations, and better use of the existing housing stock.
The Political Battle Moves to the European Parliament
Last week, we had the opportunity to watch the presentation and the MEPs’ questions to Commissioner Dan Jørgensen. The discussion in the Special Committee on the Housing Crisis (HOUS) shows that the real disagreement is no longer about whether there is a European housing crisis, but about which tools should be used to help ease it.
Thus, we heard factions on the left wing of Parliament insist more on tenant protection, regulating short-term rentals, and addressing the financialization of housing. By contrast, other, conservative and liberal political forces placed greater emphasis on increasing supply through construction and renovation, attracting private investment, simplifying procedures, and making better use of the existing stock.
I was glad to hear two Greek MEPs who have stood by us from the very first moment in the effort to build EU institutions for housing. G. Aftias (EPP) spoke about supporting, in particular, young people and border regions with financing not only for purchase but also for building new housing. K. Arvanitis (The Left) explained why ambitious legislation is needed in areas where the market cannot provide an answer to the housing crisis.
Much water has flowed under the bridge since the days when few of us believed housing could become an EU priority. Today, with multiple institutions in place and after in-depth discussions, the Union now faces a critical choice: will the new European housing policy mainly amount to a framework of restrictions and protections, or will it evolve into a comprehensive policy that primarily tackles the root cause of the crisis — the shortage of housing supply?
In any case, the message is an optimistic one. A few years ago, there wasn’t even anyone to talk to. Today, there are institutions and a European legislative proposal.
