housing

Call for papers for FEANTSA 7th European Research Conference on Homelessness

The European Federation of National Organisations Working With the Homeless (FEANTSA) - an EPHA member - has announced the 7th Annual Research Conference on Homelessness in Europe entitled “Access to Housing for Homeless People in Europe”, which will take place in York in the UK on the 21st September 2012. Deadline for the call for papers: 6 April 2012 FEANTSA’s European Observatory on Homelessness, the European Network for Housing Research Working Group on Welfare (...)

Most EU Member States Fail to Ensure the Right to Housing - FEANTSA Press Release

FEANTSA has issued a Press Release titled "Most EU Member States Fail to Ensure the Right to Housing", reacting to the Council of Europe European Committee on social rights, which issues its annual conclusions: most EU Member States fail to ensure the right to housing. The Council of Europe’s European Committee on Social Rights (ECSR) released its annual conclusions at the end of January. This year they looked at whether countries live up to their responsibilities to ensure the right (...)

Can Europe’s new Quality Framework for SGI protect the social dimension of the Single Market?

On 20 December 2011, the European Commission has adopted a Quality Framework for Services of General Interest (SGI) in the EU, which is to guarantee that high quality services can be provided in an efficient and cost-effective manner in relevant areas such as health care, child care, care for the elderly and social housing. The Quality Framework is meant to reinforce the social dimension of the Single Market. It is hoped that it will help to take better account of the specific nature of (...)

European Parliament calls for an EU Homelessness Strategy

On the 14th September 2011, the European Parliament adopted a Resolution calling for an EU homelessness strategy. FEANTSA - European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless - an EPHA member - welcomed the resolution and congratulated the European Parliament on its commitment to ending homelessness. The resolution calls on the EU to increase its coordination and support Member States in aligning their policies in order to fight against homelessness all across the EU. (...)

Economic crisis: Fuel poverty impacts on health inequalities

A new Report shows that fuel poverty increases respiratory, cardiovascular and mental health diseases. In addition, it also impacts on educational achievements of children, dietary choices, and increased home injuries and accidents. Commissioned by Friends of the Earth UK, the Marmot Review Team produced a comprehensive review realigning the environmental and health agendas to provide powerful evidence on the health benefits of reducing fuel poverty and improving the thermal efficiency of (...)

WHO report on Environmental burden of disease associated with inadequate housing.

The WHO Europe published a report on the environmental burden of disease associated with inadequate housing. It provides substantial evidence on the consequences of bad housing on health. The report - entitled "Environmental burden of disease associated with inadequate housing. Methods for quantifying health impacts of selected housing risks in the WHO European Region. Summary report." - looks at several health issues that would be improved with adequate housing: indoor dampness and (...)

Ministers adopt conclusions on EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies up to 2020

On 19 May, 2011, social affairs ministers adopted conclusions on EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies up to 2020, inviting the member states to set up and implement goals in the fields of education, employment, healthcare and housing, so as to close the gaps between marginalised Roma communities and the general population. Commission EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies up to 2020 Presidency note for the exchange of views at EPSCO meeting 19 May 2011 on (...)

European Commission adopts EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies

The European Commission adopted the EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies showing its committment to Roma inclusion in four key areas - access to education, healthcare, employment and essential services. However, many Roma advocates have already criticised the framework for not specifying real measures to combat discrimination towards the Roma community Further to several EU Summits on the Roma population, the Communication on the socio-economic integration of the Roma and (...)

’Invisible borders’ - European Conference on Destitution of Migrants

The Jesuit Refugee Service-Europe organized a conference with EPHA and other civil society actors on the situation of forced migrants in Europe. The conference took place on the 29th of March 2011. The conference organized by the Jesuit Refugee Service-Europe, aimed at bringing to surface the issue of migrant destitution in Europe. The current picture shows that thousands of migrants across Europe are denied their fundamental human rights and have no, or barely access to healthcare, (...)

Final recommendations of the European Consensus Conference on homelessness

Jointly with the Belgian Presidency, FEANTSA (an EPHA member) organised a European Consensus Conference on Homelessness to find common answers to a series of pre-determined questions. The report, recommendations and conclusions were just published. Final Consensus Conference Jury Recommendations on Homelessness Consensus conferences are a specific policy tool aimed at facilitating progress on issues where a lack of shared understandings blocks policy progress. A jury of experts was (...)