European Parliament calls for access to decent Housing as a Fundamental Right

The plenary of the European Parliament has asked this Thursday that access to decent and affordable housing be recognized and protected as a fundamental right, for which it calls for concrete actions such as limiting the cost of housing and measures so that no one has to live in the street in the European Union on the horizon of 2030.Thus, MEPs emphasize that decent housing must ensure access to quality drinking water, adequate sanitation and hygiene, as well as connection to sewerage and water supply networks, according to the institution in a statement.

Although a home is considered affordable when it does not prevent the person or family that lives in it from facing other essential expenses, MEPs warn that more than 25 percent of European tenants in the free market spend more than 40 on housing percent of household income.

The resolution points out that at least 700,000 homeless people sleep every night on the streets of the European Union, a figure that has increased by 70 percent in a decade marked by rising housing costs and cuts in social programs. and suspension of aid.

For this reason, MEPs ask that the European Union assume as a common goal to end the problem of homeless people by 2030, for which they point out the convenience of maintaining exceptional measures developed during the pandemic over time, such as the suspension of evictions.

In addition, they call on authorities to take legal action to protect the rights of tenants and landlords and advocate for ideas such as boosting rent transparency, supporting organizations working to protect tenants, and establishing threshold dispute resolution procedures. low.

They also call on the European Commission and the Member States to better protect mortgage debtors against evictions, which should be avoided, also after renewal processes.

In the text – adopted with 352 votes in favor, 179 against and 152 abstentions – MEPs also call on the European Commission and national governments to give priority to reducing emissions and energy efficiency by renewing households.