The European Commission is looking to establish rules that delay the construction of housing and increase project costs.

The European Commission is collecting examples and proposals on how European rules influence the supply and price of housing, in preparation for a simplification package in 2027. The consultation targets national, regional, and local authorities, as well as the housing sector, construction, financiers, urban planning, property owners, tenants, and civil society organizations.

The European Commission is seeking concrete examples of rules that hinder housing construction, increase project costs, and limit the supply of affordable homes in Europe. The information will be used to prepare a simplification package for housing, scheduled for 2027 as part of the European Plan for Affordable Housing.

In short

1. The European Commission is collecting contributions until September 30, 2026.

2. The simplification package for housing is planned for 2027.

3. The Commission is looking for examples of the effect of EU rules on the supply and price of housing.

4. Participants must distinguish between the effects of EU legislation and those of national application or regulation.

5. The consultation targets public authorities, the construction sector, providers of social and affordable housing, financiers, property owners, tenants, and civic organizations.

Europe is facing a crisis of affordable housing, and the European Commission states that the fragmented landscape of rules in member states can add bureaucracy, delays, and unnecessary costs. The rules that influence housing are established at the European, national, regional, and local levels and include building codes, land use, land governance, zoning, public procurement, and local taxes.

The Commission is not proposing a new law at this time but is gathering evidence to identify where blockages occur. The consultation seeks information related to how EU legislation affects the supply of housing and its accessibility, including examples from concrete projects. Contributions can be submitted until September 30, 2026.

The institution requests three types of information: concrete examples of how EU legislation affects the supply and price of housing, clarifications regarding the difference between the effects of European rules and those produced by their application at the national, regional, or local level, and practical proposals for reducing delays and costs without compromising safety, environmental, quality, or social protection objectives.

The Commission states that housing is primarily the responsibility of member states, but some EU legislative instruments can have a direct or indirect effect on the availability and price of housing. Therefore, the consultation targets national, regional, and local authorities, providers of social and affordable housing, urban planners, construction and real estate professionals, civic organizations, financial institutions, property owners, and tenants' associations.

Dan Jørgensen, the European Commissioner for Energy and Housing, stated that the construction sector needs simpler rules to build better, more, and faster.

"We cannot tackle the housing crisis without accelerating construction and renovation. We must avoid unnecessary bureaucracy, costs, and delays," said Jørgensen. He added that the simplification package must help deliver more affordable and sustainable housing in Europe without lowering social and environmental protection standards.

The simplification package is part of the European Plan for Affordable Housing, adopted by the Commission on December 16, 2025. The plan aims to increase the supply of housing, stimulate investments and reforms, and support individuals and areas most affected by the housing crisis. The simplification package is one of the ten priorities of the plan.

The Commission is also conducting parallel consultations with member states, regions, cities, civil society, and other involved actors. These discussions began in the spring and will continue throughout the year. The process also utilizes the new Housing Alliance, created to bring together authorities and actors involved in housing policies.

Simplification for housing is also linked to other European initiatives. The Commission mentions the review of the Anti-Tax Avoidance Directive, part of the Taxation Omnibus, where the proposal would reduce the tax burden for housing providers developing social and affordable projects recognized as serving the general public interest. Other examples include testing the Birds and Habitats Directives and a pilot project on offsite construction.

The consultation aims to show where delays and costs arise in the real chain of a housing project: permitting, land, technical rules, financing, procurement, environment, renovation, construction, and administrative enforcement. The Commission asks participants not to attribute all issues to EU legislation if the blockages stem from internal rules or procedures of member states.

For the housing sector, the outcome can matter in construction and renovation projects in the coming years. If the package identifies unnecessary procedures or unevenly applied rules, the Commission could propose changes or clarifications that reduce the time and cost of projects while maintaining safety, quality, environmental, and social protection standards.

The European Commission is collecting contributions for the simplification package for housing until September 30, 2026. The initiative is scheduled for 2027 and is part of the European Plan for Affordable Housing.

https://2eu.brussels/ro/stiri/comisia-europeana-cauta-reguli-care-intarzie-constructia-de-locuinte-si-scumpesc-proiectele