Making Housing a Core Pillar of the EU Integration Framework

What is the problem?

In many EU member states, housing is treated as a separate policy area rather than as an integral part of migrant and refugee integration. As a result, newcomers often face long delays in securing stable accommodation after their arrival or asylum recognition. This gap between emergency shelter and long-term housing leads to social exclusion, instability, and difficulties in accessing employment, education, and community life. Programs such as ESTIA (Emergency Support to Integration and Accommodation) and HELIOS (Hellenic Integration Support for Beneficiaries of International Protection) in Greece have made significant progress, but their reach, funding, and continuity remain limited.

What should be done?

Housing should be formally recognized as a core pillar of the EU integration framework. The EU and member states should strengthen and expand initiatives like ESTIA and HELIOS to ensure a seamless transition from temporary shelter to independent living. Key actions include:

• Long-term funding and expansion of existing programs to include more beneficiaries, including vulnerable groups such as women, children, and irregular migrants.

• Integration of housing support into all national integration strategies, ensuring that accommodation is linked with language training, employment, and community participation.

• Partnerships with municipalities and NGOs to identify housing opportunities, manage placements, and provide ongoing social support.

• Use of EU funds to finance rental subsidies, renovation of vacant housing, and local integration services.

Who should act?

The European Commission should lead by setting integration guidelines that make housing a formal priority within the EU Action Plan on Integration and Inclusion. It should also ensure stable funding through AMIF and related instruments. National governments, particularly in countries like Greece, should incorporate housing-based integration models into their national strategies and ensure program continuity beyond emergency funding cycles. Local authorities, municipalities, and civil society organizations should play a central role in implementation, as they are best positioned to connect beneficiaries with local communities and housing opportunities.

What impact will it have?

Integrating housing into the core of the EU’s migration and integration policies will create a more humane, stable, and effective integration process. Beneficiaries will gain independence more quickly, improving their access to work, education, and healthcare. Communities will benefit from reduced homelessness, stronger social cohesion, and revitalization of underused housing stock. Economically, the approach will lower long-term public costs associated with emergency accommodation and social exclusion. Ultimately, strengthening programs like ESTIA and HELIOS will demonstrate the EU’s commitment to inclusive, rights-based integration that benefits both newcomers and host societies.