CESI@noon on affordable housing in the EU

📅 Venue & date: Brussels CESI office and online via Zoom, January 14th, 2026
🕛 Time: 10:30-12:30
Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/KlRtWT84RYa7K_Spc5YaHg
Language: EN

CESI@noon

on
Affordable housing in the EU – building a social Europe for all in line with the objectives of the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR)

Europe is facing a deepening housing affordability crisis. Between 2010 and 2024, rents increased by 24% and housing prices by 49%, while income growth has stagnated. Today, 1 in 10 Europeans is overburdened by housing costs—and for young people, particularly young women and single parents, finding a stable home is becoming an increasingly difficult challenge.

Join our next CESI@noon discussion to explore what Europe can and must do to ensure affordable, inclusive, and sustainable housing for all. It will bring together policymakers, social partners, and youth advocacy groups to debate the newly launched European Affordable Housing Plan, stronger social housing investments, and a European Housing Guarantee – ensuring no one in Europe spends more than 30% of their income on housing. It will focus in particular on:

-Housing as a fundamental social right, not just a market asset
-Tackling the youth housing crisis and barriers to independence
-Impacts of the housing gap on young women and single parents
-Sustainable and energy-efficient housing solutions within the EU Green Deal
-Combating housing touristification, vacant housing, and homelessness through coordinated EU action

Provisional agenda (speakers to be confirmed):

‍

10:30 Welcome address & introduction
Antonello Pietrangeli, CESI Youth Representative, ANIEF, Italy

10:40 Housing challenges and pressures in Europe: Trends and causes
Hans Dubois, Eurofound
Annika Sparrer, Eurodiaconia
Emiliano Rocchetti, International Union of Tenants
Bogdan-Alexandru Chelariu, CEE Bankwatch Network

11:20 Delivering the European Pillar of Social Rights: Implications for the right to housing
Kadri Uustal, European Commission, Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO)
NN, Member of the European Economic and Social Committee; Member of the Cabinet of the Mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni Cuadrado (tbc)
Kenna Padraic, Council of Europe, University of Galway, Ireland (tbc)

11:40 The main priorities of the European Commission on housing
Tatiana Marquez Uriarte, European Commission, Directorate-General for Energy (DG ENER)

11:50 The European Parliament activity within the HOUS Committee and the main findings of the field visits
Alicia Homs, Member of the European Parliament, Member of the Special Committee on the Housing Crisis in the European Union

12:00 The way forward – Adoption of the CESI position and exchange with the speakers and audience
Antonello Pietrangeli, CESI Youth Representative, ANIEF, Italy

12:30 Light lunch