Homelessness is one of the most extreme forms of social exclusion, negatively affecting people’s physical and mental health, well- being, and life expectancy, as well as their access to employment and access to other economic and social services. The phenomenon of homelessness affects all Member States and has increased substantially over the last decade in the EU. European institutions, EU governments and civil society have committed to working together towards combatting homelessness in the EU. At the high-level conference in Lisbon co-organised by the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2021 national ministers as well as representatives of the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of Regions, civil society organisations, social partners and cities signed the Lisbon Declaration and launched the European Platform On Combatting Homelessness. The signatories pledged to work together under the umbrella of the Platform and to deliver actions within their respective competences.

Combatting homelessness – a priority for Social Europe
All stakeholders have committed to renewing their efforts in fighting homelessness, notably by reinforcing prevention and implementing integrated, housing-led approaches that seek to end, not simply manage, homelessness. They agreed on the following objectives:

• no one sleeps rough for lack of accessible, safe and appropriate emergency accommodation
• no one lives in emergency or transitional accommodation longer than is required for successful move-on to a permanent housing solution
• no one is discharged from any institution (e.g. prison, hospital, care facility) without an offer of appropriate housing
• evictions should be prevented whenever possible and no one is evicted without assistance for an appropriate housing solution, when needed
• no one is discriminated due to their homelessness status

The Platform is also a concrete deliverable of the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan to implement Principle 19 on Housing and assistance to the homeless.

Work strands - The work programme of the Platform is built around 3 work strands:
1. Strengthen evidence on homelessness
Collection of data is essential to tackle homelessness. To do so, the European Commission steps up its efforts to improve data availability and evidence on homelessness in the EU.
2. Mutual Learning activities of the platform
The European Commission organises regularly mutual learning events on key policy developments on homelessness.
3. Access to finance
The EU promotes the use of EU funding by the Member States to support inclusive policy measures aiming at combatting homelessness.

Ending homelessness requires an orchestrated effort, relying on the commitment and actions of local, national and European policy-makers. Member States have adopted integrated homelessness strategies at the national level. See website for national strategies.

The European Commission supports evidence-based innovation in the area of homelessness through a dedicated  ESF+ call launched in 2023, with a total budget of €15 million.  The purpose of the call is to pilot and evaluate innovative projects in the area of homelessness, as well as build the capacity of local, regional, and national stakeholders engaged in the fight against homelessness. Four European transnational projects, ensuring wide geographical coverage and focusing on various aspects of homelessness have been selected. The implementation of these projects has started in October 2024.  

SOLACE-CEE: Solutions for Overcoming Homelessness through Integrated  Care in the CEE region
COMHOM: A comprehensive approach to COMbating HOMelessness through monitoring and evaluation, data-driven solutions, and digitalisation
PATHS: Providing Assistance for Transitioning Housing Solutions
INTERACT: Intersectional approach to combating homelessness for women