High Level Conference "Breaking Barriers: Affordable Energy and Housing in Europe"

Date: Thursday, 11 December 2025 

Format: Public Conference, and national policy input sessions

Venue: Martin's Hotel EU, Blv Charlemagne 80, 1000 Brussels

Language: English 

In person 

Please register here.

Background 

The housing crisis, energy poverty and energy inefficiency are deeply interconnected issues gaining urgency across Europe. Rising energy costs, both for energy and for housing, are exacerbating the cost-of-living crisis that many Europeans are already suffering from.  

This crisis undermines trust in governments and is negatively influencing vital sectors like the labor market or family planning. At the same time, the EU’s climate and energy transition goals require a rapid improvement in the energy efficiency of the housing stock. This dual focus highlights the complexity and importance of addressing the nexus between energy poverty, energy efficiency, and housing. 

This nexus is fundamentally socio-economic.Low-income, as well as plenty of middle-income households across Europe, often reside in energy-inefficient buildings. Poor insulation of buildings exacerbates financial strain, creating the cycle of "housing and heating entrapment." This underscores the need for policies balancing energy efficiency with social equity. Despite advancements from the Fit for 55 reforms, significant barriers remain, like high upfront renovation costs, complex ownership structures, and insufficient and often challenging financing models. Coordinated efforts are essential to break this cycle and ensure affordable and sustainable housing for all. 

Where do we currently stand on these matters? What are the EU’s best practices that can help address this nexus? How can the EU harmonise Member State efforts? How to better integrate local actors and decision makers in addressing this issue? These are key questions that will guide our debate. Members of Parliament from several EU Member States will share this debate.

Programme 

08.30 – 09.00 – Registrations and coffee

09.00 – 09.10 – Welcome and Introduction by Claudia Detsch, Director of the FES Competence Centre for Climate and Social Justice

09.15 – 11.15 Panel discussion: “Advancing Equity: Coordinated Housing and Energy Strategies in Europe” 

At the European level, housing and energy have been brought under one portfolio within the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Energy, pointing to a more integrated approach to tackling energy-related inequalities. This panel will explore the persisting challenges and the need for coordinated policies that balance technical solutions with social equity.

Speakers:

• Niels Fuglsang, MEP, S&D negotiator on the Energy Efficiency Directive - tbd

• Margareta Djordjevic, Head of Unit, Energy efficiency policy and financing, the European Commission's Directorate-General for Energy (DG ENER) - tbd

• Adrian Joyce, Secretary General of Efficient Buildings Europe - tbd

• Tuscany Bell, Policy Staff Utilities at EPSU - tbd

Moderator: FES JustClimate

11.15 – 11.30 – Coffee break 

11.30 – 12.45 -Policy inputprovided by National Members of Parliament 

Talk Show Format: Each MP provides a statement on the key challenges in their countries around energy efficiency and sustainable housing matters

12.45 – 13.00 Keynote speech by Dan Jørgensen, EU Commissioner for Energy and Housing - confirmed

13.00 – 14.00 – networking and lunch

14.00 – 16.00 Debate: “Housing as the New Social Question of the 21st Century”. Input provided by the authors of the FES-policy briefs 

The housing crisis is a European-wide issue: persistently rising rents and property prices, particularly in urban areas, are placing an increasingly heavy financial burden on an ever-growing number of people. Those most affected include individuals with low incomes, single parents, senior citizens, and households with only one person. In addition, the fight against climate change presents further significant challenges for European societies, especially in terms of renovating the existing building stock and transitioning to sustainable heating solutions. In response to the growing housing policy challenges within the European Union, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung is launching a project aimed at identifying, analyzing, and promoting best practices from various member states. The FES is collaborating with experts, analysts, and practitioners to develop actionable recommendations that can be applied at both local and national levels. During the panel, selected best practices from the project will be discussed.

Speakers:

• Luise Noring, Expert on Housing, Denmark - confirmed

• Jan Śpiewak, Activist on Housing, Poland - confirmed

• Lisa Pfann, FES Berlin - tbd

• Sarah Coupechoux, Head of European Affairs at the Fondation pour le Logement des Défavorisés (France) - confirmed

• Final comments by Irene Tinagli MEP, Chair of the Special Committee on the Housing Crisis in the European Union - tbd

Moderator:Max Brändle, Director of FES Poland Office 

16.00 – 16.30 Coffee break

16.30 – 17.30 Policy input provided by National Members of Parliament 

Format: Each MP provides a statement on the key takeaways and actionable steps in their countries to continue tackling access to energy-efficient and sustainable housing infrastructure 

17.30 Closing remarks by Kristina Birke, Director of the FES Nordic Office - tbc

17.40 – Networking reception

 - End of programme -

Part of the project “Affordable Housing: Best Practices from around Europe”
Warschau, 2025

Śpiewak, Jan 
Celulozowa estate: new chapter in the history of Włocławek and national housing policy in Poland

Noring, Luise
Denmarkʿs non-profit affordable and social housing model

Coupechoux, Sarah
The enforceable right to housing in France

Pfann, Lisa
Stronger measures for more affordable housing in areas with a strained housing market