“In recent years, housing has become a major issue, with social, economic, and other implications that require coordinated action at the European level,” Minister of Interior Constantinos Ioannou has said.
In statements made following 28 January meetings at the European Parliament on housing issues, Ioannou said that he informed members of the Special Committee on the Housing Crisis in the European Union (HOUS) about the priorities and objectives set by the Cypriot Presidency regarding this important matter.
He noted that the Cypriot Presidency, acting as an honest mediator, has made it a priority to find ways to strengthen universal and inclusive access for European citizens to quality, sustainable, and affordable housing.
The Minister of Interior stated that, taking the European Affordable Housing Plan as a starting point, over the coming months the Presidency will focus on four main priorities, which, he believes, can support our shared vision of a socially inclusive, sustainable, and resilient Europe.
Specifically, Ioannou stressed that efforts will be made to enhance access to affordable housing for all citizens, with particular emphasis on youth and vulnerable groups, as well as to facilitate and boost investment in the housing sector, increase supply, and exchange experiences and knowledge, aiming to design targeted policies based on the real needs of European citizens.
In this context, the Minister added, an informal videoconference will be held next Tuesday, during which, together with the Commissioner for Housing, “we will have the opportunity to discuss with the competent Ministers the key provisions of the European Affordable Housing Plan.”
In conclusion, he noted that “we are working intensively for the first informal ministerial meeting on housing, which we will host next May in Nicosia, where we will have the opportunity to further exchange views on the European Plan.”
(Source: CNA)
