The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group and the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) yesterday announced a joint commitment to support Slovenia’s affordable housing agenda, marking a significant step in the deployment of the country’s housing policy.
The joint announcement of the two international financial institutions (IFI) was made at the “Turning Vision into Homes: Slovenia’s Affordable Housing Journey” conference, held in Ljubljana in the presence of Prime Minister Dr Robert Golob and Simon Maljevac, Minister of Solidarity-based Future.
Turning Vision into Homes: Slovenia's Affordable Housing Journey Conference was jointly organised with the CEB and hosted by the European House in Ljubljana: Left to right: Jerneja Jug Jerse (EC), Simon Savsek (EIB), Simon Maljevac, Prime Minister Dr Robert Golob, Deputy Governor Tomáš Boček (CEB), Vice President Ioannis Tsakiris (EIB) and Makedonka Mateska (CEB)
“For the EIB, affordable housing is a cornerstone of social cohesion, economic stability and equal opportunities. When we work together with partners like the CEB, we can make access to decent and affordable housing a reality faster,” said EIB Vice-President Ioannis Tsakiris, responsible for the housing sector at the EIB.
This initiative aims to support Slovenia’s Third-Generation National Housing Strategy and Investment Plan, Strategy is aligned with EU housing and green transition priorities, and outlines approach to tackling one of the country’s key policy priorities.
Conference was attended by representatives from Slovenia’s housing sector, regional development agencies, promotional banks and financial institutions, and European Commission including Matthew Boldwin, Deputy Director General at the European Commission and Klemen Ploštajner, State Secretary for Housing Policy at the Government of Slovenia.
For more information about the event please visit press release
Slovenia among first EU countries to receive support at this scale
Slovenia is among the first EU Member States to receive such coordinated support for housing, which follows recommendations of the European Union Housing Task Force, calling on international financial institutions to issue combined declarations in support of national governments and promotional banks, thereby strengthening a more integrated and strategic approach to Europe’s housing challenges.
“A new era” for Slovenia’s housing policy
Speaking in Ljubljana, Vice-President Tsakiris stressed that the agreement represents more than a political signal.
VP Tsakiris delivering his keynote speech at the Vison to Homes Conference in Ljubljana
“Today we are not simply extending our joint support, we are taking part of a new era for Slovenia’s housing policy — an era where investment is aligned, where institutions cooperate, and where results will be tangible: more homes, better homes, stronger communities,” he said.
He described Slovenia’s approach as a potential model for other countries. “Slovenia has chosen a good approach, fully aligned with Europe’s priorities for the green transition, quality of life and social cohesion,” he noted. “By aligning policy design, coordinating stakeholders at national, local and European levels, and promoting innovation in construction, Slovenia is becoming a reference point for Europe.”
Reaffirming the EIB Group’s long-term engagement, Tsakiris added: “The EIB and the EIB Group will stand by Slovenia every step of the way, because we deeply believe that every person deserves a safe, modern, high-quality and affordable home — and that Europe can and must deliver exactly that.”
To read the complete speech please visit this link
Tomáš Boček, Vice-Governor of the CEB
Tomáš Boček, Vice-Governor of the CEB, underlined the strong alignment between the two institutions’ mandates: “Housing is one of the foundations of social cohesion, stability and equal opportunity and is at the heart of the CEB’s social mandate. Today’s joint declaration reflects our shared determination to help Slovenia deliver more affordable and sustainable homes for its citizens. The CEB stands ready to continue working with Slovenia and our European partners, like the EIB, to turn this commitment into real homes and stronger communities.”
Dr Robert Golob, Prime Minister – Our exemplary work is supported by the two IFIs
Prime Minister Rober Golob commended the two IFIs and said: “Europe holds us up as an example to others of how to approach housing project in a comprehensive way. We are among the first in Europe able to use European funds effectively. We have laid the foundation for a programme that will be implemented over the next ten years with undiminished momentum.”
The EIB Group and the CEB confirmed they will continue to support Slovenia through financing, advisory services, technical assistance and cooperation to advance housing finance, delivery and innovation. The conference forms part of the EIB Group’s housing roadshow series, designed to promote collaborative, scalable and innovative solutions for affordable and sustainable housing across Europe.
EIB Group’s broader commitment to affordable and sustainable housing
Affordable and sustainable housing is a core strategic priority for the EIB Group. With housing pressures rising across Europe, particularly for young people, families, key workers and vulnerable households, the Group is working closely with the European Commission, national governments, cities, international financial institutions, national promotional banks and financial intermediaries to strengthen Europe’s housing systems.
For more information on the EIB Housing Road show please visit: Housing web page
The EIB Group’s approach centres on three priorities:
- Innovation in construction – supporting modern materials, industrialised construction methods and new technologies to deliver homes that are higher quality, faster to build and more cost-efficient.
- Renovation and energy efficiency – reducing energy bills, improving building performance and making homes more comfortable, safer and more climate-resilient.
- New affordable housing supply – providing direct lending to municipalities and public agencies, and intermediated instruments to channel capital to the private sector.
To accelerate investment, the EIB Group has launched an Action Plan for Affordable and Sustainable Housing, with the objective of increasing lending to the housing sector to more than €4 billion in 2025 and further in subsequent years. This is expected to enable the construction or renovation of around 1.3 million homes from 2026 onwards.
Over the past five years, the EIB Group has:
- financed €15.6 billion in affordable and sustainable housing
- supported the construction of 265 000 new homes
- renovated 400 000 apartments
- improved housing conditions for 665 000 families
The Group is committed to contributing to the delivery of 1 million new affordable homes by 2030, demonstrating that rapid progress is possible when policy, investment and innovation are aligned.
Driving HousingTechEU and innovation in construction
Innovation in the construction sector is a central pillar of both the EIB Group’s Action Plan and the European Commission’s Housing Task Force. The EIB Group is advancing HousingTechEU, a new European platform dedicated to cutting-edge housing technologies, from modular and industrialised construction to digital design, smart energy systems and innovative financing models.
As part of the Action Plan, the EIB Board has approved a first-of-its-kind €400 million HousingTechEU initiative to support mid-cap and large companies in the EU housing market. The programme will finance new construction materials, machinery and engineering solutions to improve housing quality, reduce costs and boost European innovation and competitiveness.
The EIB Group notes that many key technologies — including industrialised construction, digitalisation and Building Information Modelling (BIM), robotics and AI in construction, circular construction and sustainable building materials — are already available but not yet deployed at scale. With only 24% of EU construction companies implementing innovation, and a sector dominated by small firms facing labour and skills shortages, raising productivity is essential to meet Europe’s housing and climate goals. Affordable housing providers can play a pivotal role in testing and scaling innovative solutions.
Making support more accessible
To make finance and expertise more accessible for local authorities, developers and communities, the EIB Group has created the “More homes. Better homes” online portal. The platform connects housing stakeholders with advisory services, funding and financing opportunities and has been endorsed by the European Commission as a first step towards a pan-European investment platform for housing.
For a comprehensive overview of the EIB Group’s initiatives to support affordable housing in Europe - visit the “More homes. Better homes” portal.