Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-002173/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Elena Kountoura (The Left)
Buildings account for approximately 40 % of total energy consumption in the EU and 36 % of CO₂ emissions, making them a key driver of climate change.[1] Decarbonising the building stock through deep renovations is essential to achieving the EU’s climate goals.[2] However, despite the establishment of European policies,[3] the social dimension of environmental policy has not yet been sufficiently integrated.[4] The lack of binding social clauses in European cohesion policy funding programmes increases the risk of phenomena such as ‘green gentrification’ or ‘state-subsidised eviction by renovation’ (‘renoviction’), where renovations lead to rent increases and the displacement of vulnerable groups.[5]
Considering that an estimated 800 000 social housing units require renovation each year, while around 1.5 million new homes are needed annually:[6]
- 1.How will the Commission ensure that the ‘renovation wave’ is incorporated into cohesion policy through stable and adequately funded programmes after 2027 for the deep renovation of social housing, tackling energy poverty and prioritising the renovation of empty buildings for sustainable social and affordable housing?
- 2.Will the Commission consider establishing a European Renovation Loan[7] to cover capital needs towards a net-zero emissions building stock by 2050?
- 3.Does the Commission intend to propose the inclusion of social clauses for green public renovation investments from cohesion funds, in order to prevent rent increases and social exclusion following renovations?
Submitted: 30.5.2025
- [1] See https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:52021PC0802
- [2] Energy retrofitting of housing reduces carbon emissions, improves people’s quality of life, reduces energy poverty and makes housing more affordable and resilient to energy price fluctuations.
- [3] For information on the financial instruments provided by the European Union and the EIB, see https://energy.ec.europa.eu/topics/energy-efficiency/financing/financing-building-renovations_en
- [4] See the report by Enrico Letta, ‘Much More than a Market’, April 2024.
- [5] Increasing housing costs exacerbate energy poverty and social exclusion, especially in Southern Europe, where the existing housing stock is old.
- [6] The EIB calculates that EUR 270 billion in investment is needed annually to meet these needs.
- [7] See https://www.climatestrategy.com/en/informe_23.php and https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2023-0068_EN.pdf.