Brussels: Europe and the Arabs

The European Commission is gathering evidence on measures to simplify the rules affecting housing availability and cost, which will be used to prepare a Housing Simplification Package. This request for evidence is aimed at national, regional, and local authorities, as well as all stakeholders, including the housing, construction, finance, and civil society sectors. In a statement issued in Brussels on Wednesday, the European Commission said:

The EU is facing a housing affordability crisis, and the fragmentation of rules across member states leads to complications that increase unnecessary paperwork, delays, and costs.

The Commission has made simplification a core part of its work and has already proposed more than 12 large-scale simplification packages, representing nearly €18 billion in annual administrative cost savings. The upcoming Housing Simplification Package is part of these efforts. This initiative, planned for 2027 under the European Affordable Housing Plan, will examine how EU legislation impacts housing availability and cost, with the aim of helping to provide more affordable and sustainable housing. Participants are invited to submit evidence by September 30, 2026, on how EU regulations impact the housing supply, along with practical suggestions for simplifying them and implementing best practices. They are asked to distinguish between the effects of EU legislation and those of its local application or regulation. This process will help the EU identify, assess, and address the root causes of regulatory complexity, delays, and high costs, ultimately contributing to an improved housing supply.

"To build better, more, and faster housing, the construction sector needs simpler rules," said Dan Jørgensen, Commissioner for Energy and Housing. "We cannot combat the housing crisis without accelerating construction and renovation. We must avoid unnecessary paperwork, costs, and delays. With this simplification package, we will help deliver more affordable and sustainable housing across Europe without compromising our environmental and social standards."

As part of the consultation process, the Commission is organizing various workshops and meetings with Member States and local authorities, leveraging the potential of the newly established Housing Alliance.