A Decisive Moment for the Fight Against Home­less­ness in the European Union

In the last ten days, European institutions have opened a decisive window for the Union to transform its commitment to ending homelessness into concrete action. If Europe’s policymakers are serious about reversing the alarming rise in homelessness, the moment to act is now.

On 3 March, President von der Leyen issued a powerful call to action at the European Commission’s Employment and Social Rights Forum, urging the EU to confront the reality that more than one million people experience homelessness on any given day across the Union[1]. This is unacceptable in a European Union that aspires to be fair, just and inclusive. Whilst homelessness continues to rise rapidly, the President’s message could not have been timelier.

This call has resonated widely—not only among civil society organisations such as FEANTSA, but across the EU’s institutional landscape. On 9 March, the EPSCO Council delivered its strongest statement yet, insisting on intensified action to tackle homelessness as part of the 2026 EU Semester cycle[2]. Importantly, Ministers urged Member States to bring housing-led and Housing First approaches to scale, acknowledging overwhelming evidence that these models deliver lasting results.

Momentum is also building around the forthcoming EU Anti-Poverty Strategy. Several Ministers highlighted homelessness as a priority at EPSCO[3]. Notably, Slovakia called for an EU Homelessness Guarantee — a concrete commitment to ensuring access to housing and adequate support for everyone experiencing homelessness.