The Good, the Bad & the Ugly
A Housing and Homelessness Perspective on the 2017 European Semester
FEANTSA (the European Federation of National Organisations working with the Homeless) has been analysing and contributing to the European Semester since it was launched in 2010. The Semester is the EU’s annual cycle of economic and social policy coordination. It aims to ensure that Member States avert and correct excessive deficits and macroeconomic imbalances, carry out structural reforms and pursue progress towards the goals of the Europe 2020 Strategy. In the future, the Semester will be the main instrument for delivering the European Pillar of Social Rights, which aims to provide a new framework for social policy at EU level, and includes a priority on housing and assistance for the homeless (priority 19/20). The European Pillar of Social Rights is due for interinstitutional proclamation on the 17th November.
As we count down to the 2018 Autumn Package on 22 November, FEANTSA reviews the 2017 Semester’s engagement with Member States’ housing systems, from the perspective of homelessness and housing exclusion. This paper highlights the good, the bad and the ugly on homelessness and housing exclusion in the 2017 Semester, suggesting five key take-aways for 2018.
