Promoting our members' interests
UIPI Policy focus
In the past ten to fifteen years, the policy focus of UIPI has gradually changed and expanded, following the increased attention given to housing and the real estate sector at EU level. Indeed, even if it does not fall under direct EU legislative competence, housing is a fundamental cross-cutting issue, touched upon by many different European policies.
The main goal of the UIPI Brussels-based public affairs team is to increase European policy makers’ awareness on the importance of the private, individually-owned real estate sector and voice our members’ interests in new and prospective EU legislation that directly impacts them as well as the whole sector.
Climate, environment and energy policy developments, together with construction, technical, accessibility, safety and building appliances standards coming from Brussels, are shaping the way our buildings are built, renovated and even demolished. Internal market and consumer protection rules are impacting on housing leases, but they are also protecting homeowners and landlords in contractual relationships with construction professionals and service providers. The reinforcement of banking regulation shapes national mortgage regulations. Competition rules are preventing sectoral abuses that could have major consequences on EU customers and EU property owners and they are ensuring a level playing field in the housing sector. Even marital and inheritance rules for cross-borders households are now solved at EU level.
Last but not least, the recent European Economic Governance procedure adopted in response to the financial crisis is touching upon topics that until now strictly remained of national competences, such as housing market regulation, property taxation and urban and rural planning.
As a matter of fact, almost all EU areas impact on real estate and there are about 50 directives that have a direct effect on real estate and the interests of European homeowners and private landlords.
Therefore, next to its traditional activities on rental regulation, taxation and property restitution, UIPI is focusing on EU policies affecting the interests of property owners and it has become one of the leading voices of the real estate sector at EU level.
Promoting our members' interests
Our Fields of ACTION
