Federico Nahuel Lazzari, Director of  of GBS’ Brussels office, stressed an important point: Europe needs more housing, and it needs it faster

Federico Nahuel Lazzari, Director of GBS’ Brussels office and Secretary General of Build Europe, took part as a speaker in a high-level workshop organised by the European Commission on the future of affordable housing in Europe.

The meeting brought together policymakers, cities, industry representatives, and civil society to discuss the upcoming Affordable Housing Act and the wider European Affordable Housing Plan. The discussion focused on one key question: how to increase the supply of affordable and social housing in areas under pressure.

During the exchange, Mr Lazzari stressed a simple but important point: Europe needs more housing, and it needs it faster. He highlighted three main barriers that are slowing down delivery across Europe: long and complex permitting procedures, lack of available land, and difficult investment conditions. He argued that these are structural problems that must be addressed if Europe wants to make real progress. Mr Lazzari also insisted on the importance of governance: housing delivery in Europe is shared between public, private, and non-profit actors. To increase supply at scale, all of them need to be part of the solution.

“Affordable housing is not about choosing who builds”, he said during the discussion. “In areas with strong housing shortages, we should not exclude actors simply because they are private, when they  are ready and able to deliver”.

Mr Lazzari called for open and non-discriminatory frameworks that allow all players to contribute, under clear and predictable rules. This, he explained, is essential to unlock investment and speed up construction. The workshop was part of a wider consultation process led by the European Commission, which is preparing new initiatives on housing, including measures on short-term rentals and a simplification package to reduce administrative burden.

In the coming months, GBS will continue to play an active role in the European debate on housing and construction, ensuring that the voice and experience of private construction and development companies are heard in Brussels. By working closely with EU institutions, GBS aims to provide practical input from the sector, helping shape policies that can actually deliver more housing on the ground, including for Bulgarian citizens.