Be Fair, Europe - Stand Up for Homeless People

Homelessness is on the increase in Europe.

Millions of citizens are being left behind by inadequate policy responses, with knock-on effects on social cohesion and economic growth.

The EU has a crucial role to play in finding solutions.

FEANTSA calls on EU policymakers to work with national governments, regions, cities and stakeholders to put an end to homelessness by:

1. Making more effective use of existing policy instruments

The EU has called on Member States to design and implement integrated strategies to tackle homelessness.

However

Most countries are not delivering, and EU policy instruments are not being used to their full potential.

Therefore

The EU should set a target of ending homelessness as part of its 2030 agenda.

2. Supporting homeless people in all relevant sectoral areas

Many solutions lie in areas beyond specific "homelessness policies"

However

Unfortunately, these other policies are often blind to homelessness

Therefore

Responses to homelessness should be mainstreamed into the design and implementation of relevant EU sectoral policies including youth, gender, migration, disability, mobility, cohesion and urban development.

3. Monitoring homelessness and benchmarking progress at Member State level

The EU plays a key role in monitoring and benchmarking socio-economic indicators across Member States.

However

The EU statistical toolkit does not cover homelessness data, making it difficult to track and compare progress.

Therefore

Homelessness should be an integral element of social analysis carried out by the European Commission.

4. Defending the rights of homeless people

Homeless people have the same basic human rights as everyone else.

However

These rights are frequently violated - and worse still, criminalised in different Member States.

Therefore

The EU can and should act to enforce fundamental rights, social rights and the rights of all EU citizens.

5. Investing EU funds in ending homelessness

Homelessness has significant human, societal and economic costs. Tackling it is a good investment for the future.

However

Current resources at EU and national level are not enough to deliver lasting solutions.

Therefore

EU instruments like the European Structural and Investment Funds and the European Fund for Strategic Investment should be used to help Member States deliver smart, sustainable solutions.

Read the Full Campaign Manifesto

Campaign Roadmaps

These roadmaps outline concrete steps which can be taken in different areas by the EU policymakers, in line with national governments, regions, cities and stakeholders to put an end to homelessness:

EU Youth Strategy

EU Migration & Asylum Policy

EU Urban Agenda

Criminalisation of Homelessness