Ending homelessness - a call for action in the EU - European Public Health Alliance

EPHA member FEANTSA launched its European campaign on ’Ending homelessness’ in the European Parliament in the framework of the European Year 2010 for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion. The event was hosted by Jacek Protasiewicz MEP (EPP Poland), Liz Lynne MEP (UK ALDE), Britta Thomsen MEP (S&D Denmark), Karina Delli MEP (Greens France), and lda Figueiredo MEP (GUE Portugal).

This event gathered a range of key actors to discuss how the EU can tackle homelessness, including European Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs László Andor. The same day, FEANTSA launched its European campaign ’Ending Homelessness’ as well as its publication ’Ending Homelessness: A Handbook for Policy Makers.’

A key target of the campaign is to end all rough sleeping in every EU member state by 2015.

Liz Lynne, Vice President of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee, gave the opening remarks. She said that homelessness has been a neglected challenge, yet it has a profound effect on the lives of hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of people living within the EU each year. The current recession has made the situation worse, and redundancies and house repossessions are on the rise. At the same time, public spending is cut across the EU. Frontline services need to protect people’s right to have a roof over their head.

The causes and underlying reasons for homelessness, as well as the stigma attached to homeless people were highlighted by Ms. Lynne. Some homeless individuals may have drug or mental health-related problems while others are victims of domestic abuse. Addressing these wider issues will ensure that repossessions of homes become an absolute last resort and will prevent people from becoming homeless. Ms. Lynne called for the EU2020 strategy to include a specific commitment to tackle the homelessness crisis and for an action plan to be adopted by the EU Commission and Member States.

Then László Andor, European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion took the floor. He said the Commission has been working on the problem of homelessness and housing exclusion. Research has been done and the problem is now understood better. Within the framework of the 2010 Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion political will and shared determination to tackle homelessness and housing exclusion have been created. Commissioner Andor called on Member States to show commitment to this issue and develop “targeted policies” to end homelessness. He also expressed the willingness on the part of the Commission to do so and emphasised how important an issue homelessness is for the Employment and Social Affairs DG. He hailed the decision of the Belgian Presidency to combat homelessness.

Eric Marlier, a research fellow at the Centre for European Political Studies presented Recommendations from the Report on Homelessness and Housing Exclusion by the Network of Independent Experts on Social Inclusion.

Mr. Marlier`s recommendations are available here.

The next speaker Mr René Kneip, FEANTSA President, presented FEANTSA`s five demands from the ’Ending Homelessness’ campaign:

1. No one sleeping rough: no person living in Europe should have to become homeless.

2. No one living in emergency accommodation should stay longer than what constitutes an ‘emergency’.

3. No one living in transitional accommodation should have to stay longer than required for successful move-on.

4. No one leaving an institution should be without housing options.

5. No young people should become homeless as a result of the transition to independent living.

Mr. Rene`s presentation is available here

Carlos García de Cortazar, Coordinator on Employment and Social Affairs in the Spanish Permanent Representation, presented the Spanish Presidency’s priorities on homelessness and housing exclusion.

Philippe Courard, Belgian Secretary of State for Social Integration and the Fight against Poverty, confirmed that tackling homelessness in the EU would be on the agenda of the Belgian Presidency. Furthermore, he presented the European Consensus Conference on Homelessness that will take place under the Belgian presidency in December 2010 and which seeks to provide a basis for future policy progress on homelessness.

At the close of the event the hosting MEPS sign a declaration on tackling homelessness, which can be found here:

For Further Information

’Ending homelessness is possible! How can the EU effectively contribute to the fight against homelessness?’
Ending Homelessness: A Handbook for Policy Makers
FEANTSA’s Ending Homelessness Campaign