“Sustainable housing at affordable prices must be a priority and must be in line with the new European balance,” said Raffaele Fitto at the New European Bauhaus Festival in Brussels, challenging “Member States to make the most of the opportunity” created by the mobilisation of €3.3 billion from Cohesion funds, specifically for affordable and sustainable housing”.

The Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms of the European Commission opened the festival forum today, where European leaders, experts and creatives from across Europe are discussing solutions to build more inclusive and sustainable communities.

“The European Union’s cohesion policy has already invested more than 900 million euros in projects, including those for energy efficiency, housing, and sustainable urban development,” he recalled, emphasizing that what impresses him most is not the size or scope of this policy, but the commitment and mobilization of the local population, mayors, architects, artists, citizens, and businesses in transforming their territories.

He stressed that the union’s mid-term review of cohesion policy offers Member States a chance to reprogram projects in response to urgent challenges like the energy crisis and housing shortage.

Regarding the housing crisis, the European Commission is “supporting these efforts in three main ways,” the first of which is the creation of the New European Bauhaus Community (NEB), which connects citizens, innovators, and institutions to create more sustainable, inclusive, and aesthetically pleasing spaces and ways of life.

“In this area, experience and expertise are essential,” enabling “local, regional, and national authorities to learn from each other and thus carry out high-quality projects,” the representative stated.

Support also includes providing tools so that Member States and regions can use financial instruments intelligently, including “the future Pan-European Investment Platform for affordable sustainable housing.”

And lastly, Fitto mentioned that the European Commission “recently launched a call for expressions of interest” to provide “specialised and personalised support to the authorities responsible for managing Cohesion Policy funds,” with the aim of “helping to integrate the values ​​of the New European Bauhaus into funding programs and projects.”

The New European Bauhaus Festival runs until Saturday at the Cinquantenaire Park in Brussels, bringing together “creators, innovators and change agents” from various European Union countries to reflect on “how communities can work together to design more sustainable, inclusive and resilient homes and neighbourhoods.”

The festival, promoted by the European Commission, adopted the motto “Life. Spaces. Buildings” this year.