The European Parliament debate on December 2, 2025, saw a marked divergence between Dan Jørgensen, EU Commissioner for Energy and Housing, and Tom Deleu, representing the European Federation of Building and Wood Workers (EFBWW), centered on tackling the EU construction skills shortage and affordable housing. Jørgensen laid out the Commission’s multifaceted Affordable Housing and Action Plans emphasizing supply increase, investment, structural reforms, and vulnerable protection without proposing legislative changes. Meanwhile, Deleu challenged the current reliance on subcontracting and low-cost labor, urging stricter regulations on employment chains and apprenticeships to ensure job stability and safety.
This debate took place during a joint session of the EP Committees on Employment & Social Affairs and Housing, aimed at gathering insights for future policy without imminent legislative texts.
Jørgensen’s presentation outlined the Commission’s plans structured in four pillars addressing housing supply, investment, reforms, and social safeguards, highlighting EU funds such as ERDF and NextGenerationEU. However, he reaffirmed no new dedicated EU funding or reopening of Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) was planned, pointing to a balance between public funding to fill investment gaps and continued private sector participation. His proposals remain broad, focusing on flexible state aid frameworks and city empowerment tools for short-term rental management, with no fixed deadlines or numerical targets.
In contrast, speakers like Deleu and Roberto Capobianco brought concrete proposals: Deleu called for reforming EU public procurement to move beyond lowest-cost criteria that disadvantage quality construction firms, limiting subcontracting to specialized tasks only, and mandatory pre-notification of posted workers to tackle fraud and job insecurity. Capobianco suggested a construction skills passport and systematic impact assessments focused on SMEs to ease administrative burdens and improve safety. These proposals seek measurable changes enhancing oversight, employment conditions, and training uptake.
The cleavages revealed a tension between steps toward increasing EU-level regulatory powers and safeguarding national or SME autonomy. Deleu’s stance prescribes stronger EU supervision to dismantle exploitative subcontracting chains, which could impose higher compliance costs on construction SMEs but improve worker protections significantly. Meanwhile, Jørgensen’s cautious approach aims at preserving the balance between fostering investment and respecting EU competence limits.
For stakeholders, EU construction firms and small to medium enterprises (SMEs) face a trade-off between tightened regulation raising operational costs and improved sector reputation and workforce stability. EU consumers and vulnerable housing seekers could benefit materially from improved affordable housing supply and social safeguards. National authorities are tasked with implementing flexible state-aid rules, balancing funding and regulatory frameworks. EU taxpayers might see indirect impacts through redirected EU funds and reforms but no new budget lines.
Moving forward, the European Commission is expected to advance the Construction Strategy and Pact for Skills initiative as previewed by DG GROW’s Hein Bollins, with further scrutiny on subcontracting practices and vocational training. The Parliament is keenly watching the balance between regulatory assertiveness and pragmatic support to the construction sector crucial for the EU’s housing and renovation objectives.