In de toekomst Europese fondsen voor betere huisvesting? (en)

A lack of decent, affordable housing directly affects EU citizens, by restricting their options for social integration and mobility, in both urban and rural areas. But in the new Member States, EU funding is already available to help with housing renovation and redevelopment and this possibility should be considered from 2009 for old Member States, too.

So says an own-initiative report by Alfonso ANDRIA (ALDE, IT), which Parliament endorsed with 469 votes in favour, 38 against and 46 abstentions on 10 May.

Many European cities face soaring housing purchase and maintenance costs. Yet, at the same time, urban sprawl is adding to mobility problems (congested public transport, reliance on private cars) energy consumption, and pollution.

Although the EU has no specific powers over housing, the European Regional Development Fund regulation for 2007-2013 would allow structural aid for housing in urban (re-)development projects, in areas of the new Member States that are threatened by physical deterioration or social exclusion, says the report.

This EU funding could help to revive urban areas with an integrated mix of measures to redevelop public areas, improve safety and prevent delinquency, and use water and energy more efficiently.

For fifteen countries that were in the EU before 2004, the report seeks to reopen debate on "extending access to Community funds for renovation of social housing to all Member States, in order to save energy and protect the environment, currently foreseen only for certain countries, given that housing needs are critical throughout Europe."

Structural fund aid should form part of an integrated strategy on housing, so as to ensure that any steps to promote access to housing, improve building quality, improve the quality of life and enhance the attractiveness of urban and rural environments are taken simultaneously.

The report advocates, inter alia, identifying EU-wide minimum quality indicators defining "adequate housing" strengthening the right to housing benefit so as to ease worker mobility and giving cities a greater role in planning and managing the use of structural funds for housing projects

It also encourages the EIB group and the Commission to establish a strategy for boosting the building sector, chiefly in the new Member States, which would constitute structural aid for developing housing and mobilise local and regional resources geared to urban projects.