Which houses to buy?
The European Union will launch a comprehensive review of housing standards next month, aiming to address concerns about affordability, quality and the environment.
Key points:The new EU-wide review will assess whether current standards are adequate and the extent to which they are being metThe move is part of a wider EU-IMF initiative to help tackle climate change, and will be aimed at ensuring that buildings are made more energy efficientThe aim is to help protect homes and properties from climate changeThe European Commission will publish a report on the state of the European Union’s housing market next month.(AFP Photo)The European Union has launched a comprehensive housing market review to help address concerns that the current housing standards are inadequate, according to the EU’s environment commissioner, Joaquin Almunia.
“We have been working on this project for a long time and we have a report to give to the Commission in the spring,” said Almuni.
“This is the first time the Commission will issue a report in a very long time.”
The European commission’s environmental and social affairs commissioner, Jan-Henri Haase, told reporters the report would look at the extent of compliance and the way the market functions in different European countries.
“It will look at compliance with the climate rules, its effectiveness, its sustainability, its social and economic impact, its transparency, its market structure, its management, and the sustainability of the market,” Haase said.
“I hope that in the coming months the Commission’s report will be ready to publish.”
In Europe, home furnishments and other building materials, such as appliances and fixtures, are among the most expensive goods produced and sold.
A recent report from research firm Euromonitor International found that house prices in the EU had doubled since 2014.
While Europe is the second largest consumer of the energy that makes up most homes, the average price per square metre rose to €1,878 in 2019 from €1.1 in 2014, according the study.
“In the future we will need to look at a new approach to the energy supply of housing,” Haases said.
The report is part to a broader EU-imf initiative to try to reduce climate change.
The EU is among the world’s biggest emitters of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, and is set to meet a target to cut emissions from power generation by 30 percent below 1990 levels by 2030.EU climate policies were already a focus of concern for some residents of Ireland.
In November, the Irish government said it would spend €10bn on an adaptation programme for the capital in the first year of its climate deal, but there has been little progress on tackling climate change in the country.
