There is a lack of apartments in Europe or they are too expensive. The EU wants cheaper premises and rental development

The prices of apartments in the European Union have increased over the past decade by over 20 %, and in the last five years the number of building permits issued has dropped by more than 20 percent. – results from the data presented by the chairwoman of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in the message about the state of the Union. The housing crisis is more and more affected by all of Europe, including Poland. Currently, the EC conducts consultations with the first European plan for affordable price apartments. It is to be ready this year.

According to Eurostat data In the years 2010-2024, the prices of apartments in the European Union increased by an average of 55.4 percent, and renting rent – by 26.7 percent. In Poland, in 14 years, the growth was 100 % Hungary (over 250 percent), Estonia (approx. 230 percent) or Lithuania (nearly 200 %) recorded even higher indicators. The Central Statistical Office indicates that in the first quarter of 2025 housing prices in Poland increased year to year by 13.2 percent. In the EU they were 5.7 percent higher than a year ago.

– The European Union is such a green island, where everyone in the world would like to get, because these are democratic countries, people live well compared to other places in the world, which makes the prices of apartments, not only in Poland, but in many countries soared up. Sometimes these prices are unreal and the European Union for the first time not only appointed a commissioner who is to deal with this problem, but also Ursula von der Leyen is preparing a special peak at which the main leaders are to think about what regulations to introduce in Europe, so that young people have the opportunity to live or buy at reasonable prices – indicates in an interview with Newseria agency Dariusz Joński Civic.

The head of the EC emphasized that This is not only a housing crisis, but even a social crisis. Announced the consultation of the European Affordable Housing Plan. It is to include Support for housing construction, acceleration of erecting new homes and dorms and new regulations regarding short -term rental. Ursula von der Leyen indicated that the priorities would be discussed during the first EU housing summit.

– Each country has different regulations, a slightly different housing problem and slightly different prices, so it will be a huge challenge. But I think that you have to take care of it, because if we want young people to work here, the best are to stay, and not choose the United States, China, India or other Asian countries, then you need to prepare such conditions so that they can be here. And this is a task for the European Commission and the European Parliament – says MEP.

Many EU member states, including Poland, are struggling with a shortage of apartments, and the problem includes not only the issue of the number of premises, but also their technical condition and financial availability. In Poland now, According to various estimates, there is a lack of 0.5 million to even 2 million apartments. Quality and location is also often a problem. The premises are mainly lacking in the largest agglomerations and their satellite towns. The housing crisis in Poland is also deepened by the high costs of financing the purchase of real estate. The interest rates are relatively high compared to Europe (4.75 percent).

– Inflation we have one of the lowest in Europe, below 3 percent. With such low inflation, there is no need to keep such high feet, and they have an impact on the cost of the loan. So if we want to stimulate the market, and on the other hand to reduce a considerable expense for people who take loans to buy an apartment, then you need to lower their feet – indicates Dariusz Joński.

A large number of ownership apartments in relation to rental apartments is also a problem in Poland. In 2024, over 87 percent housing were in the hands of individual owners and ownership housing cooperatives, while only 12.7 percent. This is a rental apartments. This ownership structure has remained for years. According to the Central Statistical Office, in the first half of 2025 only 517 municipal apartments (by 40 % less than a year earlier) and 1.5 thousand were handed throughout the country. social rent (an increase of 32 percent), which in total is less than 3 percent. all new premises. For comparison, over 57,000 were created at the same time. development apartments intended for sale.

– Even if we reduced the prices of loans, which are very important, apartments are one of the highest in Europe, so it is also a huge challenge what to do to lower them. The proposal to rent apartments is a solution, TBS also – emphasizes the MEP from the Civic Coalition. – This is not a simple topic and no European country did not advise on this topic, so maybe it would be worth trying to solve this problem together at European level.

This year's Eurobarometer study shows that The lack of affordable apartments is the biggest problem in the opinion of city residents. 51 percent decided that he was urgent and urgent. For comparison, in smaller towns and in rural areas, this percentage drops to 37 and 28 percent, respectively. Respondents, when asked about possible ways to solve this problem, indicated, among others for the need to modernize existing housing resources, enabling, e.g. by a system of incentives, building a larger number of new and inexpensive apartments, monitoring of rents and assistance programs in paying them.

Source: