MEP says EU rules should be amended to 'remove barriers to affordable housing'

James Cox

Fianna Fáil MEP Barry Cowen has submitted a series of amendments to the European Parliament’s draft report on the housing crisis in the European Union.

The MEP for Midlands North-West described them as having the potential to "vastly accelerate affordable housing delivery across Europe".

Mr Cowen, a member of the European Parliament’s Special Committee on the Housing Crisis, said his amendments - which have received support from European colleagues - focus on:

• Reform of EU State aid rules to remove barriers to public and affordable housing investment in countries like Ireland.
• Streamline administrative systems and planning procedures.
• Improve access to finance for small and medium-sized developers.
• Encourage Member States to share and adopt best practices in the area of planning and permitting.
• MEP Cowen’s amendments also acknowledge housing as a national competence while encouraging European cooperation in adjacent areas such as finance and regulation.

In recent months, Mr Cowen has raised the issues in Brussels, highlighting the need for the EU to "enable rather than hinder Member States’ housing efforts".

Earlier this year, he wrote to Minister for Housing James Browne, urging him to prepare Ireland’s housing policy to take advantage of the upcoming EU reforms to State aid rules.

Mr Cowen has called for a more flexible approach to housing finance that would allow Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) and smaller developers to play a greater role in meeting national housing targets, something he said the propposed amendments would advance.

Mr Cowen said: “These amendments are about making sure European policy becomes a driver of housing delivery rather than a drag on it. We need an EU framework that recognises what works on the ground and helps Member States to act faster.

“Current State aid rules are limiting our ability to invest in affordable and social housing. Reforming them could have a transformative impact on delivery across Ireland and Europe. This is an area where the EU can make a real difference."

He added: “Planning delays, excessive bureaucracy and inconsistent permitting rules are slowing down projects everywhere. By promoting best practices and simplifying processes, we can help unlock new homes far more quickly.

“Ireland’s housing crisis is part of a wider European challenge. The solutions we are proposing at committee level will help Member States learn from one another and ensure that European financing tools are used to their full potential, particularly for SME developers."