00:00To debrief with you live yesterday, Commissioner, you're putting now measures forward to make housing more available and more affordable for Europeans.
00:09It's a big concern, but what can you really do? This is, for the most part, a national competence.
00:15Well, yes, it is true that it is a big concern. We are in a housing crisis and thereby a social crisis.
00:20So we've put forward a whole range of different measures that we will introduce in the months and years to come.
00:27One is, for instance, short-term rentals. So not that short-term rental as such is a bad idea. They can be good.
00:34But some places we've seen how they push the prices up on housing and sometimes even crowd out normal people from their homes.
00:42And we need to do something to remedy that.
00:44And, of course, is there speculation when it comes to both rent and buying houses?
00:50There's a generation of Europeans, and you could argue this is a big societal failure, who believe I will never be able to buy a house.
00:57It's also the case, actually, unfortunately, that young people are not able to leave their parents' house.
01:02So I think the average age is more than 26 now. In some countries, it's more than 30.
01:07Sometimes it's because they want to buy a house and they can't.
01:10Other times it's because there simply is no renting available.
01:13So we need to build more houses. We need to also use the buildings that we have better.
01:17So in some cities, even cities where they're experiencing big problems with not having enough houses, there are also a lot of vacant houses and a lot of vacant buildings.
01:26So we need to find ways of using these buildings better, renovating them.
01:31And we're also telling countries, look at the rules that you have, because maybe you can actually regulate this yourself so that, indeed, these buildings will be available for housing.
01:40And, Commissioner, just to help us understand, of course, Europe is very complex at times, and the situation in every country is different.
01:47But is this an issue of speculation in the market? Is this an issue of permits that are not given, a lack of construction stock?
01:54What is the issue now in this market?
01:56Yeah, well, it's many different things. And one thing certainly is that there's a lot of bureaucracy and red tape that we need to deal with.
02:02So permitting needs to be easier.
02:05We also need standardization for different types of goods and services in the building industry so that the internal market will start working here also in the construction industry.
02:17And finally, speculation you mentioned.
02:19Well, yes, some are arguing, some experts are arguing that this is indeed a problem.
02:24Others are saying probably not so much. So what we'll do is we will start an analysis and then we will present next year our take on that,
02:31because we do need more transparency if we are to deal with it.
02:35And this is the first time the Commission tackles this issue.
02:38Some argue it's very difficult to change things from the Commission's perspective, because this is really a national competence,
02:44and you're just trying to do politics.
02:46So how are you going to prove critics, Ron, and what do you think is going to be achievable in the short term?
02:52Well, it is true that there are many things that need to be done on a local and national level.
02:56But what we can and will do on the European level is, for instance, state aid rules.
03:01So today they are blocking countries helping support affordable housing, the building of affordable housing, so that we will change.
03:08We can provide funding.
03:10So, for instance, a pan-European investment platform has been set up together with EIB.
03:16That will provide a lot of funding for building of new houses, renovating of old ones.
03:21And we are also allocating funding on our own budget to help boost the supply.
03:25Okay, so you say this is not just optics and politics.
03:28There will be changes coming from the executive.
03:31But I have to ask you now a final question, perhaps a broader politics and the geopolitics.
03:36This is a very important week for Europe, a very important European Council slated for tomorrow, reparations loan for Ukraine.
03:42What do you hope will come, and what do you wish to see from European leaders by the end of Thursday?
03:49We obviously hope for agreement.
03:51This is, as you say, a very turbulent time.
03:53It's also a time where we need to stand together in Europe to show decisive action.
03:59So yes to reparations loan?
04:01We hope, of course, that what has been proposed by the European Commission will be supported.
04:05Well, thank you so much, Commissioner.
04:07Thank you so much, Commissioner.
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