78 Amendments of Karima DELLI related to 2012/2293(INI)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1
Citation 1
– having regard to the Treaty on European Union, in particular Article 3(3) thereof, and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, in particular Articles 9, 148, 151, 153 and 160 thereof and Protocol 26 thereto, on services of general interest,
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 2
Citation 2
– having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, in particular Articles 34 and 36 thereof,
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Notes that the concept of social housing varies from one Member State to another; considers, however, that it would not be appropriate to establish a single European definition of the term; considers that it is up to individual Member States to decide on the definition, and organise the provision, of social housing;
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 24
Citation 24
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 24 a (new)
Citation 24 a (new)
– having regard to the European statistics set out in the Third European Quality of Life Survey, in particular Chapter 6 thereof1, __________________ 1 http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/publicati ons/htmlfiles/ef1264.htm.
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 24 b (new)
Citation 24 b (new)
– having regard to the report of the Eurofound agency on household debt advisory services in the European Union1, __________________ 1 http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/pubdocs/ 2011/891/en/1/EF11891EN.pdf.
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the Commission’s proposals for a regulation laying down common provisions (COM(2012)0496), a regulation on specific provisions concerning the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) (COM(2011)0614) and a regulation on the European Social Fund (ESF) (COM(2011)0607 final/2), which make full provision for priority investment in energy-efficiency improvements, the promotion of renewable energy sources, integrated sustainable urban development measures, measures to support the co- operative and voluntary sectors of the economy and action to combat exclusion by providing marginalised communities with access to high-quality housing and social services at affordable prices;
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Encourages the Member States to cooperate wiinvolve the local and regional authorities and all partners, in accordance with the principles of partnership and multi-level governance, toin establishing priorities and methods of using – on a joint basis, wherever possible –, in the framework of partnership agreements and operational programmes and, wherever possible, on an integrated and coordinated basis, the ERDF, the ESF, and, in the case of social housing in rural areas and small and medium-sized towns, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD); stresses the potential of the new integrated development instruments (CCLD and ITI) in connection with the introduction of integrated housing strategies in which social housing organisations and residents would play a leading role; considers that greater integration of the Structural Funds could encourage the sustainable development, and combat the isolation, of disadvantaged areas, thus avoiding the pernicious effects of segregation and promoting social homogeneity and cohesion; hopes that technical assistance programmes and specialised funds will be maintained and extended– with the involvement of local residents – a broad social mix and social cohesion; hopes that technical assistance programmes will be maintained, extended and used in coordination with measures falling under the Structural Funds;
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas access to housing is a fundamental right that affects access to other fundamental rights and to a life in conditions of human dignity; and whereas guaranteeing access to decent housing is an international obligation incumbent on the Member States, to which the Union must have regard, given that the right of access to housing and to housing assistance is recognised in Article 34 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Articles 30 and 31 of the revised European Social Charter adopted by the Council of Europe and Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human rights, as well as in many Member State constitutions;
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas national, regional and local authorities in the Member States have a duty to take the steps required to give effect to this fundamental right on their housing markets, with the aim of providing universal access to decent, affordable housing;
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes that investment in social housing can help to improve territorial cohesion and fulfil the objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy; considers that such investment also plays a part in more far- reaching policies and has a beneficial impact on the local economy in terms of job creation, social inclusion, support for local SMEs, promoting occupational mobility, public health and environmental protection, safeguarding the climate and reducing energy dependence; encourages Member States and all stakeholders to give social housing investment a prominent place in national reform programmes and in the shaping of strategic priorities under partnership agreements for the period 2014-2020; reaffirms the need to retain an ambitious budget for the 2014-2020 multiannual financial framework, particularly as regards cohesion policy;
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas housing is a basic necessity in respect of which Member States lay down, in line with their own policy choices, minimum standards of habitability and comfort, specific urban planning and construction rules and maximum income percentages, with some regulating house price increases and even establishing mechanisms for providing social assistance or tax support to help out with what is a leading item of household expenditure;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)
Recital B b (new)
Bb. whereas, in view of the severe economic and social difficulties currently being experienced, urgent action on the part of Member States and the Union is required in order to guarantee access to decent and affordable housing; whereas, given that housing is the largest household expenditure item in Europe, the sharp rise in housing-related prices (land prices, purchase and rental prices and energy prices) is a cause of instability and anxiety, and must be seen as a major concern; whereas, given that unemployment has also shot up in the EU, as is illustrated by the fact that the average rate for the EU 27 rose above 10% in January 2012, there is a major risk of growing social inequality and social exclusion, with 80 million Europeans already at risk of poverty;
Amendment 36 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Calls on Member States to facilitate and speed up the reallocation of unused monies from the Structural Funds to energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in the social housing sector during the 2007-2013 programme planning period, having regard to the conclusions of the European Compact for Growth and Jobs;
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Calls on Member States and local and regional authorities to help ensure the provision of social housing which is sound, fit to live in, energy-efficient and affordable, including for the most disadvantaged families, and particularly in the densely-populated areas where the demand is greatest; considers that the provision of such housing must be accompanied by measures to ensure access to other public services and services in the general interest and by measures to combat urban sprawl;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas social housing plays a key part in the implementation of the Europe 2020 strategy in that it helps to ensure high levels of employment, inclusion and social cohesion, to promote job mobility and to combat climate change by modernising the housing stock;
Amendment 43 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Considers that investment in social housing can play a concrete and effective role - which should receive more attention in connection with the Union’s economic and budgetary governance - in improving Europe’s economic governance by, in particular, countering property price bubbles and their disruptive effect on society and macroeconomic stability.
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas the economic and social crisis is having a direct adverse impact on activity in and financial support for the house building and refurbishment sector, with social housing being hit particularly hard, owing to the bursting of housing bubbles, the contraction of credit, late payments and a fall in new public-sector orders; whereas the construction sector can be a driving force in efforts to find a sustainable, inclusive way out of the crisis and to address climate- and energy- related challenges;
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes that, as a result of the current economic and social crisis, the need for affordable homes is increasingly unmet by the private housing market alonemarket alone, in particular in densely populated urban areas, and that rising house pricesing and energy pricecosts are aggravating the risks of disease, poverty and social exclusion; is concerned about the impact of austerity measures such as cuts in housing benefit, the taxation of social housing providers, the cancellation of new housing projects and the selling off of part of national social housing stocks;
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Points out that, under Protocol No 26 annexed to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, public authorities are free to determine how the social housing sector is organised and funded and what its target group is, with a view to meeting local needstypes of household are eligible, with a view to meeting the needs of local people; sees the intervention of public authorities here as a response to the shortcomings of the market, with the aim of ensuring universal access to decent, affordable housing in accordance with Articles 16, 30 and 31 of the European Social Charter;
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Reminds the Commission, the Member States and the Commissionlocal and regional authorities that spending on social housing is in keeping with fundamental rights, enables urgent social need to be met and, as strategic social investment, helps in a sustainable way to provide local jobs that cannot be ‘off-shored’, to stabilise the economy by preventing property bubbles, to counter climate change and to combat energy poverty; calls on Member States and the Commission to bring social housing investment within the scheme of the European Semester by including in it an evaluation of targets for combating and preventing property bubblesguarding against property bubbles and household over-indebtedness, to counter climate change and to combat energy poverty;
Amendment 105 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Emphasises the need for tighter monitoring of social investment as part of a ‘social investment pact’ designed to strengthen the Union’s economic and budgetary governance and including investment in social housing; calls on the Commission to monitor social investment more closely, using a scoreboard based on indicators of investment at Member-State and EU level, which, in connection with social housing investment, takes account of changes in housing costs and in the number of people waiting to be allocated housing in the Member States;
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Calls on Member States and the Commission to take greater account of social housing investment in the European Semester process by including in it an evaluation of targets for combating and preventing property bubbles, which undermine macroeconomic and social stability; takes the view that social housing investment should not be taken into account in calculations relating to the 3% budget deficit target;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Calls on the Commission to warn Member States, in its country-specific recommendations, when reforms are likely to threaten investment in social or affordable housing and not to issue recommendations regarding the size of the social housing sector in Member States; criticises the fact that, as part of fiscal consolidation programmes and in line with specific recommendations made by the Commission on housing market action, some Member States are squeezing capacity in the sector by taxing social housing providers;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 c (new)
Paragraph 4 c (new)
4c. Welcomes the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and the Council of 31 March 2011 (2011/0062) seeking to impose restrictions on credit agreements relating to residential property and hence contain excessive household debt; calls on the Member States to prevent evicted households being forced to keep up their mortgage repayments;
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 d (new)
Paragraph 4 d (new)
4d. Calls on the Council to convene a meeting of the housing ministers of the Member States at least once a year to discuss the impact of various EU policies on housing policy and ensure that the economic, social and environmental aspects of the housing sector are mainstreamed more efficiently at EU level, with the involvement of stakeholders such as social housing bodies, associations representing occupants and associations seeking to facilitate access to housing;
Amendment 120 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Proposes the establishment of the European Housing Observatory to develop qualitative and quantitative knowledge about the housing situation in the various countries, especiallyincluding social housing, on the basis of reliable statistical indicators, so as to help formulate effective medium-term housing policies with the involvement of the Commission, foundations, associations and residents; the Observatory should examine the problem of energy poverty and be supplied with national data;
Amendment 128 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Calls on the Commission and Member States to give greater importance to housing and related services under the Social Protection and Social Inclusion Strategy and through measures to alleviate homelessness and reduce housing exclusion on the basis of joint national indicators and encourage exchanges of good practice in effectively implementing the right to housing;
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Emphasises how the housing sector and, in particular the social housing sector, plays a contracyclical role, promoting economic recoveconomic role through the reduction of energy throughdependency, support for the construction and renovation industries and thereby for sustainable local employment that cannot be ‘off-shored’, thanks notably to the labour-intensive nature of the sector, the development of green business as part of the local economy and the knock-on effects on the rest of the economy;
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Emphasises how the social housing sector plays a contracyclical role, promoting economic recovery through support for the construction and renovation industries and the sustainable, non- relocatable local employment they provide, thanks notably to the labour-intensive nature of the sector, the development of green busines-economy segments as part of the local economy and the knock-on effects on the rest of the economy; (Linguistic correction)
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Advocates making priority investment in heatenergy efficiency and in the use of renewables in social housing, as well as integrated projects for sustainable urban development, access to housing for marginalised communities and the promotion of social enterprissolidarity stakeholders such as housing cooperatives, eligible for Structural Fund support in the 2014- 2020 budgetary period;
Amendment 152 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Advocates making priority investment in heat efficiency and in the use of renewables in social housing, as well as integrated projects for sustainable urban development, access to housing for marginalised communities and the promotion of social enterprises, eligible for Structural Fund support in the 2014-2020 budgetary period;programming period; (Linguistic correction)
Amendment 174 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Calls on the Member States, their managing authorities and the Commission to include housing stakeholders, residents’ associations and associations for access to housing among their closest interlocutors for the drawing up monitoring and assessment of partnership agreements and operational programmes; stresses the importance of new integrated development tools (Community-Led Local Development et Integrated Territorial Investment) for integrated housing strategies in which social housing organisations and occupants would figure prominently;
Amendment 176 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Calls on Member States to encourage recourse to Horizon 2020 grants and the use of financial instruments and project- developmenttechnical assistance programmes offered by the Structural Funds, the EIB, the EBRD and the Foundation for Environmental Education in EuropeEuropean Energy Efficiency Fund (FEEEF) to stimulate the high standard construction and renovation of social housing to a high standard;; (Linguistic corrections)
Amendment 178 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Calls on Member States to encourage in a coordinated manner recourse to Horizon 2020 grants and the use of financial instruments and project- development assistance programmes offered by the Structural Funds, the EIB, the EBRD and the Foundation for Environmental Education in Europe, the CEB and the European Energy Efficiency Fund (FEEEF) to stimulate the construction and renovation of social housing to a high standard;
Amendment 182 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Calls on the EIB to place greater emphasis on the social and affordable housing sector when setting its investment priorities, in particular in those Member States which do not have a public housing bank, whilst relaxing the terms under which it grants loans, and to determine the scope for using project bonds as an instrument to finance social infrastructure, such as housing;
Amendment 186 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Asks the Commission to make other potential sources of financing available to Member States for the development and renovation of social housing stock as forms of social investment, and to retain the reduced rates of VAT that apply to such investment, given the labour-intensive nature of the sector and its very limited impact on cross-border trade within the EU; urges Member States to mobilise private savings in order to facilitate home ownership and encourage the construction and renovation of social housing;
Amendment 190 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Calls for the implementation of integrated cooperation models which bring together project managers, social housing providers and construction firms in order to promote the thermal renovation of social housing and the construction of low-energy social housing;
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 b (new)
Paragraph 12 b (new)
12b. Welcomes the Commission communication of 31 July 2012 (COM(2012)0433) on a strategy for the sustainable competitiveness of the construction sector and its enterprises; takes the view that, in addition to tax incentives and financial support to boost the competitiveness of and innovation in this sector, measures to improve workforce skill levels are essential if we are to meet the challenges linked to the creation of a resource-efficient Europe and a low-carbon economy and achieve the objectives set in the directives on energy efficiency (2012/27)1 and on the energy performance of buildings (2010/31)2; __________________ 1 OJ L315, 14.11.2012. 2 OJ L153, 18.6.2010.
Amendment 194 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Calls on the relevant public authorities swiftly to adapt their education and vocational training systems so as to give mCommission to work more closely with the Member States and the relevant local authorities with a view to drawing up medium- and long-term forecasts of the skills needed by the labour market; calls on the relevant stakeholders to monitor employment trends with a view to making basic vocational training and lifelong learning more relevant; calls on the Member States and the relevant local authorities swiftly to adapt their education and training systems, including vocational education and training, incorporating the concept of the sustainable economy, and to ensure that skills development programmes so as to make it easier fore young people to gain access to the green industries and new green jobs; new ‘green’ jobs and ‘green’ industries; calls, in this context, on the Member States to assess the feasibility of transition funds to manage skills needs; calls on the Commission to incorporate into the framework for lifelong learning a ninth key competence relating to the environment, climate change and sustainable development;
Amendment 196 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Calls on the Member States and local and regional authorities to draw on the European Social Fund (ESF) in order to invest in skills, employment, training and vocational retraining, and in particular in ‘green’ professions, such as the thermal renovation of buildings, in order to create new jobs and improve the quality of jobs through the implementation of national, regional and local projects; calls on the Member States to support the emergence of individuals and bodies which have the skills to address both the social and technical aspects of energy saving, such as the members of the professions which provide an interface between the social and the technical, and efforts to train members of technical professions to take a more social approach to the issue of energy efficiency and vice versa;
Amendment 199 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Points out that acknowledging and implementing the right to housing affects the implementation of other fundamental rights, including political and social rights; takes the view, therefore, that the right to housing should be clearly recognised in EU primary law; points out that it is the Member State or public authority concerned which is responsible for making this right to housing a reality by improving, through its policies and programmes, universal access to housing, in particular for disadvantaged persons, by providing sufficient decent, clean and affordable housing and, if necessary, by establishing an enforceable right to housing;
Amendment 214 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Calls on the Agency for Fundamental Rights to conduct a study assessing how effectively and under what conditions the right to housing and housing assistance is implemented in the Member States;
Amendment 221 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Calls on the Commission and the Eurofound Agency to carry out a study in 2014, as part of the agency’s 2014 programme of work, into the cost of failing to do anything about poor-quality housing;
Amendment 225 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 – introductory part
Paragraph 16 – introductory part
16. Recommends thatCalls on Member States to draw up integrated policies for guaranteeing universal access to decent, including for the most disadvantaged members of society, to decent, clean and affordable housing, with aims including:
Amendment 230 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 – indent 1
Paragraph 16 – indent 1
– specific support for good-quality social and ‘very social’ housing, in particular by setting a minimum quota for social housing in areas with a high population density where demand is highest, such as agglomerations,
Amendment 233 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 – indent 1 a (new)
Paragraph 16 – indent 1 a (new)
– establishment of clear, minimum housing quality standards, particularly for social housing,
Amendment 235 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 – indent 2
Paragraph 16 – indent 2
– linkage between social housing expansion programmes and policies for access to other essential public services and services of general interest, and for managing urban sprawl,
Amendment 250 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 – indent 3 a (new)
Paragraph 16 – indent 3 a (new)
- guaranteed security of tenure for the tenant,
Amendment 254 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 – indent 4
Paragraph 16 – indent 4
– ban on evictions during winter months and implementation of effective policies to stop tenants being evicted, on the basis that, in addition to the human cost of evictions, in particular for families, covering rent payments and arrears of rent is a less costly option for the relevant authorities,
Amendment 256 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 – indent 4
Paragraph 16 – indent 4
– implementation of effective prevention policies to stop tenants being evicted, on the basis that covering rent payments and arrears of rent is a less costly option for the relevant authorities, (Linguistic correction)
Amendment 261 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 – indent 5
Paragraph 16 – indent 5
– preparation of specific programmes for the homeless, linked to social support measures; local assessments on the basis of the European Typology of Homelessness and Housing Exclusion (ETHOS) in order to measure the extent of housing-related social exclusion with a view to preparing specific programmes for the homeless, linked to social support measures, placing particular emphasis on housing and longer-term assistance for vulnerable persons and marginalised communities, rather than the provision of temporary accommodation;
Amendment 269 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Calls on the Commission to implement without delay the European Parliament resolution on an EU Homelessness Strategy;
Amendment 271 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Paragraph 16 b (new)
16b. Calls for the implementation of integrated cooperation models which bring together social and health services, support services for disadvantaged persons, social housing providers and relevant associations as part of their efforts to help vulnerable persons who are looking for accommodation and those already in accommodation;
Amendment 272 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 c (new)
Paragraph 16 c (new)
16c. Calls on Member States to pursue housing policies which are based on the principle of neutrality between home ownership, private rented accommodation and social housing, taking specific local circumstances into account;
Amendment 273 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 d (new)
Paragraph 16 d (new)
16d. Calls on the Commission, Member States and the relevant authorities to earmark structural funding for housing and accommodation for marginalised communities, in particular in the social housing sector, by including this as a priority in their operational programmes; urges the Commission and the Agency for Fundamental Rights, therefore, to step up exchanges of good practice between local authorities on the basis of common and transparent criteria;
Amendment 274 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 e (new)
Paragraph 16 e (new)
16e. Recommends that Member States and relevant authorities invest in the construction and refurbishment of affordable social housing in order to address the issues of dilapidated housing and the attendant health risks, diverse family structures, the ageing population, dependent elderly people who choose to remain in their own homes, the specific needs of disabled persons and young people particularly in terms of housing and professional mobility; recommends that structural funding be used for these purposes under the next programming period (2014-2020): takes the view that social support measures as regards access to housing contribute to the creation of ‘white jobs’, which are essential if we are to meet current and future social challenges, such as the ageing population; stresses the positive role that the European Social Entrepreneurship Funds could play as regards social support and integration-through-housing projects;
Amendment 275 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 f (new)
Paragraph 16 f (new)
16f. Calls on Member States and local and regional authorities to implement effective incentive measures, on the basis of forecasts of housing needs, in order to combat the phenomenon of housing remaining unoccupied in the long term, particularly in problem areas, with a view to tackling property speculation and converting these properties into social housing;
Amendment 277 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Recommends that Member States and the relevant authorities simplify the process of applying for housing and make the allocation of homes more transparent and impartial, with a view to eliminating discrimination and preventing any tendency on the part of particularly vulnerable groups to avoid applying for housing – a phenomenon which has the effect of aggravating residential segregation; draws attention in this regard to the pertinence of certain arrangements employed in some Member States, such as a list of legally defined, precise and transparent allocation criteria to encourage a social mix, anonymised applications for social housing, the advertising of vacant properties, the introduction of rating systems for housing applications, clear separation between the bodies which determine the criteria and those which allocate housing, or appropriate governance arrangements for the allocation of housing in order to promote broad-based social mixing;
Amendment 278 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Recommends that Member States and the relevant authorities simplify the process of applying for social housing and make the allocation of homes more transparent and impartial, with a view to eliminating discrimination and preventing any tendency on the part of"avoidance effect" for particularly vulnerable groups to avoid applying for housing – a phenomenon which has the effect of aggravating residential segregation; (Linguistic corrections)
Amendment 288 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Regards the Union’s commitment to integrated sustainable urban development, in particular to social housing, as an effective means of better integrating problem areas into the surrounding urban environment and of tackling poverty and social exclusion; calls, therefore, on Member States and the relevant authorities to make greater use of structural funding in an integrated way (ERDF, ESF), and of the EIB and other financial solutions, and to facilitate coordination and synergies between them; takes the view that giving residents an appropriate role and greater decision-making powers prior to and during the social housing construction and renovation process helps boost integration and social cohesion;
Amendment 291 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)
Paragraph 17 b (new)
17b. Calls on the Commission to carry out a study into the effectiveness of social impact investment models in the social housing sector, by taking account of the potential benefits of the structural funds, used as financing instruments and possibly combined with other sources of funding, in order to boost social impact investments in fields such as local job creation in the green economy or for young people, and social inclusion through the provision of housing for marginalised groups;
Amendment 294 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Is concerned at the growing incidence of energy poverty, which affects 50- 125 million Europeans, and which is caused mainly by a combination of low household incomes, poor-quality heating and insulation and disproportionately high energy costs;
Amendment 296 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Calls on Member States to introduce a definition of energy poverty; points out and to revise the definition to take account of specific national circumstances; takes the view, however, that energy poverty cannot be considered simply in terms of expenditure on energy and energy prices, but thatecause it also has a qualitative dimension in that it affects people’s behaviour and patterns of consumption;
Amendment 298 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Calls on Member States to introduce a definition of energy poverty; points out that energy poverty cannot be considered simply in terms of expenditure on energy and energy prices, but that it also has a qualitative dimension in that it affectsrelated to people's behaviour and patterns of consumption; (Linguistic correction)
Amendment 299 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Calls on the Commission and Member States to make sure that the deepening of the internal energy market goes hand in hand with measures to protect vulnerable consumers;
Amendment 301 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Urges Member States to adopt integrated measures, based on local energy audits, for combating energy poverty: reducing energy costs for the most vulnerable households (by means of social tariffs, support on a one-off basis or as part of other social assistance, action to prevent non-payment of bills and protection against the cutting-off of supplies) and supporting measures to help residents develop a more economical lifestyle, while at the same time using effective long-term financial leverage to make residential buildings more energy efficient;Believes that the right of access to energy is essential if people are to lead a life of dignity; urges Member States, in particular through public-sector energy regulators, to adopt integrated measures, based on local energy audits, for combating energy poverty:
Amendment 302 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Urges Member States to adopt integrated measures, based on local energy audits, for combating energy poverty: reducing energy costs for the most vulnerable households (by means of social tariffs, support on a one-off basis or as part of other social assistance, action to prevent non-payment of bills and protection against the cutting-off of supplies) and supporting measures to help residents develop a more economic lifestyle, while at the same time using effective long-term financial leverage to make largest energy- consuming residential buildings more energy efficient; (Linguistic correction)
Amendment 304 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 – indent 1 a (new)
Paragraph 20 – indent 1 a (new)
- reducing energy costs for the most vulnerable households (progressive energy pricing, support on a one-off basis or as part of other social assistance, action to prevent non-payment of bills and protection against the cutting-off of supplies),
Amendment 305 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 – indent 2 a (new)
Paragraph 20 – indent 2 a (new)
- establishing specific regional or national funds to reduce energy poverty, which could be funded by means of a financial contribution from energy providers which reflects their obligation to reduce consumption pursuant to Directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency,
Amendment 306 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 – indent 3 a (new)
Paragraph 20 – indent 3 a (new)
- supporting measures to help residents develop a more economical lifestyle,
Amendment 307 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 – indent 4 (new)
Paragraph 20 – indent 4 (new)
- using effective long-term financial leverage to make residential buildings more energy efficient in both urban and rural areas without this leading to a significant increase in housing costs for tenants once energy savings have been taken into account; calls on the Commission to coordinate these efforts and to examine the possibility of introducing incentive measures;
Amendment 312 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Points out that the housing sector is one of those which offers the greatest potential for energy savings; stresses that, in the medium and long term, provided that the costs of making housing more energy efficient do not outweigh the energy savings made, energy efficiency measures may increase households' purchasing power and improve their quality of life; emphasises that these measures will also lead to a reduction in carbon emissions, create jobs, support the local economy and reduce healthcare expenditure;
Amendment 315 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 b (new)
Paragraph 20 b (new)
20b. Believes that energy efficiency measures to tackle energy poverty can also help to prevent health problems (respiratory and cardiovascular conditions, allergies, asthma, food or carbon monoxide poisoning, and impact on mental health);
Amendment 317 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 c (new)
Paragraph 20 c (new)
20c. Welcomes the fact that measures to improve the energy performance of housing are eligible for ERDF funding in the 2014-2020 period; draws attention to Parliament's position that 22 % of ERDF funding should be allocated to priority investments supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy in all sectors; encourages Member States, regional and local authorities and all relevant partners to make use of the ERDF to fund measures to improve energy performance, giving priority to households most affected by energy poverty;
Amendment 318 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 d (new)
Paragraph 20 d (new)
20d. Stresses that energy providers have a role to play in terms of dispute prevention and settlement, in particular by installing smart meters, establishing customer service departments, and improving price transparency;
Amendment 319 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 e (new)
Paragraph 20 e (new)
20e. Calls on Member States to use information campaigns to make sure that households are better informed about the importance of more responsible resource consumption and about the grants for which they are eligible under relevant social support measures, and to launch training campaigns to make social service professionals in particular more aware of energy poverty issues;
Amendment 323 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Asks Member States to develop high-quality national energy poverty databases to be forwarded to the European Housing Observatory, and which include information in particular on energy type, the amounts households have to pay for adequate heating, housing quality and the number of households in arrears;