Resolution on tackling homelessness rates in the EU

Summary:

Resolution adopted by the European Parliament in November 2020 concerning homelessness and housing exclusion across the European Union (EU).

Further information:

The resolution highlights the precarious living situation of thousands of people who face homelessness in Europe. It stresses that housing is a fundamental human right and calls for stronger action from the European Commission and Member States to end homelessness in the European Union by 2030. The text sets out a series of recommendations for member states, including:

• taking responsibility in tackling homelessness and working on prevention and early intervention;
• exchanging best practices with other member states;
• decriminalising homelessness;
• providing equal access to public services such as health care, education, and social services;
• supporting integration into the labour market through specialised assistance, training, and targeted schemes;
• improving measures to gather relevant and comparable data to help assess the extent of homelessness;
• providing financial assistance to NGOs and supporting local authorities to secure safe spaces for those who are homeless and preventing evictions, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic;
• implementing long-term, community-based, housing-led, integrated national homelessness strategies;
• providing constant access to emergency shelters, as a temporary solution;
• promoting social entrepreneurship and activities that foster active inclusion.

The Resolution was adopted by the plenary of the European Parliament on 24 November 2020.

Official

European Parliament: Press Release, 24/11/2020: EU should set goal to end homelessness by 2030 https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20201120IPR92124/

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