On 11 June 2026, European Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms Raffaele Fitto, speaking at the New European Bauhaus Festival, announced that the public vote for the NEB Prizes 2026 is now open and encouraged attendees to vote for their favourite projects. He also highlighted that EU cohesion policy has already invested over €900 million in NEB projects and that €3.3 billion has been mobilised specifically for affordable and sustainable housing, calling on Member States to prioritise such housing aligned with NEB values during the mid-term review of cohesion policy.
Fitto outlined three Commission support mechanisms: the Peer-to-Peer NEB Community to help authorities learn from each other; the forthcoming pan-European Investment Platform for affordable and sustainable housing; and a recently launched Call for Expression of Interest providing tailored expert support for managing authorities. He celebrated the 14 beneficiaries of this call from nine Member States, stating their work will provide lessons for the future EU budget.
Fitto emphasised that the New European Bauhaus is built step by step through local communities, blending heritage preservation, green infrastructure, and social inclusion. He called for stronger cooperation with the private sector to encourage private investment in sustainable construction and large-scale projects. The speech contained concrete proposals: the public vote, the investment platform, and the expert support call, but no numerical targets or deadlines beyond the ongoing mid-term review. The policy orientation reinforces existing NEB values—sustainability, aesthetics, inclusion—and encourages Member States to use cohesion funds for housing, shifting towards more integrated, community-driven urban development.