With this initiative, the European executive wants to amend Decision 2012/21/EU on services of general economic interest (SGEI) to allow Member States to intervene more quickly and simply, beyond the strict framework of social housing as it currently exists, in response to the housing crisis.

The draft revision proposes in particular to add a new category of exemption for affordable housing, which would exempt States from the obligation to notify such aid to the Commission. The draft also provides for a new definition of affordable housing, which would now be defined as "housing intended for households that are unable, due to the consequences of the functioning of the market, and in particular market failures, to access housing on affordable terms".

European priority

"One of the major social challenges in Europe is the difficulty of accessing affordable housing. To solve this problem, joint efforts must be made with different authorities and a wide range of measures must be taken. From a competition perspective, we are responding to the requests of national authorities by launching today a public consultation on a concrete proposal for a revision of the SGEI rules designed to facilitate the financing of affordable housing" said Teresa Ribera, executive vice-president in charge of a clean, fair and competitive transition.

This consultation, open until 4 November 2025, is part of a wider effort by the Commission, which is also planning a European plan for affordable housing by the end of the year.

In addition to housing, the draft decision on SGEIs also proposes sectoral changes concerning critical medicines, as well as the aviation and maritime sectors. Any citizen, company, public authority or association with an interest can contribute on the Commission's website.