In May, the 5th European Housing Policy Network (EHPN) meeting took place in Bern, Switzerland, bringing together housing policy experts from across Europe for two days of exchange and collaboration.
Building on the previous successful events held in Rotterdam, Maastricht, Lisbon and Dublin, representatives from 18 countries, alongside colleagues from the European Commission Housing Task Force, gathered to exchange experiences and to discuss the central role played by tenancy law in public housing policy across Europe.
Against the backdrop of ongoing housing challenges, participants explored how different countries are responding to issues such as affordability, housing shortages, tenant protection, rent regulation and the changing dynamics of rental markets. In May, the 5th European Housing Policy Network (EHPN) meeting took place in Bern, Switzerland,
Over the course of the meeting, the following key inputs and activities were featured:
- The European Commission Housing Task Force shared updates on the European Affordable Housing Plan and the European Housing Alliance, outlining the main priorities and upcoming developments foreseen for 2026
- Presentation of the expert survey on current developments in rent regulation across Europe, bringing together insights collected from EHPN members’ contributions and developed in cooperation with the EIPA Secretariat
- Presentation of the Swiss Legal Framework in Tenancy Law and challenges for the future
- Field trip to the Holliger-Areal and Huebergass developments in Bern, offering participants the opportunity to see how cooperative housing projects are contributing to inclusive and community-oriented neighbourhoods in practice
- Country presentations from Austria and Spain, sharing national approaches and current developments in rent regulation and housing policy
The strong participation and successful discussions in Bern reflected the growing relevance of the network and the increasing interest in European exchange on housing policy. The next EHPN meeting will take place in Warsaw, Poland, on 15–16 October 2026.
The European Housing Policy Network (EHPN) is an initiative spearheaded and funded by the Dutch Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning and supported by the European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA). It serves as a platform that connects housing policy makers in Europe. Since its beginning, the network has already gathered over 70 members from 26 countries.
Find out more about the network
EIPA’s Secretariat expresses its sincere gratitude to the Swiss Federal Office of Housing (FOH), Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research, for their collaboration in organising the event and for the hospitality extended to all participants.
