🇪🇺 Context about the resource, publisher and speaker This resource is a video published by EU Debates in which Dan Jørgensen, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing, delivers a keynote at the High-Level Conference on Affordable and Sustainable Housing in Copenhagen. The content frames housing as a core European concern linked to rights, dignity, community cohesion and democratic trust, and it sets out the policy direction the Commissioner intends to advance at EU level.
Europe’s housing crisis as a social and democratic challenge
The speech describes the housing crisis as more than “bricks and mortar” or supply and demand, arguing that people “feel” democracy in their homes through security and belonging. It highlights widespread pressure on young people, including high rents, difficulties finding housing, and knock-on effects such as delaying family formation or education choices. A specific figure cited is that over one in four people aged 15–29 in Europe live in overcrowded conditions, and in many countries young adults remain with parents past age 30 because they cannot afford their own home.
Key facts on affordability, energy poverty and homelessness
Several quantitative indicators are used to underline urgency. The speech states that 47 million Europeans cannot afford to heat their homes adequately, and notes that essential workers (including teachers, nurses, firefighters and police officers) may be priced out of the communities they serve. It also cites that over 1 million people in Europe are homeless, including 400,000 children, and references research suggesting very young children can face developmental risks when growing up in temporary accommodation such as hotel rooms.
The European Affordable Housing Plan: investment and financing pillars
Jørgensen announces an “Affordable Housing Plan for Europe” intended to coordinate European, national, regional and local actions toward affordable, sustainable and decent housing. The plan’s investment pillar includes increasing EU funding support through cohesion policy, and proposing changes in the next long-term EU budget to make it easier for member states, cities and regions to direct EU funds toward affordable housing. It also includes revising state aid rules for housing projects. The speech stresses that public funding alone cannot meet needs, and calls for private investment that combines steady returns with social responsibility, while rejecting “selfish speculation” and targeting the financialisation of housing stock.
Delivery capacity, regulation and concrete sector figures
Beyond finance, the plan emphasises practical delivery: revising rules and cutting red tape in planning, permitting and procurement, and mobilising skills, materials and labour. Concrete figures cited include production of over 18,000 tonnes of cement per hour in Europe, about 170 million cubic metres of construction wood per year, and over 27 million workers in the sector (e.g., carpenters, bricklayers, engineers and electricians).
Additional actions: short-term rentals, best practices and energy efficiency
The speech signals forthcoming EU legislation on short-term rentals, described as complex but requiring firm and fair action. It also prioritises exchange of best practices between European cities, including pragmatic approaches to reducing homelessness, and highlights improving residential energy performance (such as insulation and modernisation) as a way to lower living costs and reduce wasted energy and money. The Commissioner frames the plan as being built with experts, stakeholders, public representatives and citizens, and invites contributions of solutions that can work across European contexts.