The countries of the European Union (EU) adopted, Monday near Paris, a work plan to house the homeless. The “ideal” goal is zero people on the street by 2030.
“2030 is a milestone, a form of ideal, to tell ourselves that we are all driven by a common objective”, justified the French Minister Delegate for Housing, Emmanuelle Wargon.
“We always have people who we will not have recovered, added the Luxembourger Nicolas Schmit, European Commissioner for Social Rights. But we must first reduce the number, and above all shorten the duration where people are homeless, homeless, homeless.
Adopted under the French Presidency of the EU, this work plan follows the creation of a European platform, decided in June 2021 under the Portuguese Presidency and coordinated by the former Belgian Prime Minister, Yves Leterme .
Around 700,000 homeless people in the EU
“Members of the platform commit to working together towards ending homelessness by 2030,” reads the text adopted Monday. Several measures of this plan should also make it possible to better identify homeless people across the Union.
Eurostat will also, from 2023, collect data on the number of people who have ever been homeless, as part of its Living Conditions Survey.
The European Commission, in partnership with the OECD, will work for its part on a precise categorization of the different situations (on the street, in emergency accommodation, staying with relatives, etc.).
Other projects aim to highlight good practices in this area, such as the creation of a European prize to reward the best initiatives.
A Europe-wide awareness campaign will also be organized in 2024 and the Commission will encourage Member States to devote more European funds to housing and accommodation policies.
The European Federation of National Organizations Working with the Homeless (Feantsa) estimates that 700,000 people sleep rough, in emergency or temporary accommodation, every night in the EU.
