Brussels: Europe and the Arabs

Portuguese António Costa has not yet completed a year and a half in his current term as President of the Council of the European Union. Despite this, he has received praise from various European stakeholders for his effective leadership of European collective action on certain issues. Some believe Costa is currently at the center of events, as a group of European mayors from the center-left arrive in Brussels today, carrying a message that some consider unsettling. Roberto Gualtieri, Mayor of Rome; Jaume Colbone, Mayor of Barcelona; and Anne Hidalgo, former Mayor of Paris, will demand urgent action to address the housing crisis in Europe. They want the President of the European Council, António Costa, the most prominent socialist in the European Union, to take decisive steps. This represents a test of Costa's commitment to progressive principles on an issue crucial to the left.

After nearly 17 months, Costa enjoys positive assessments from EU leaders regarding his management of the institutional aspects of his duties. They seem to admire him, as he does not interfere in their affairs. They also appreciate his push for shorter summits, where ambassadors draft proposals and leaders discuss them. But some within his political circle are less convinced that he is using his position to serve their more pressing priorities. According to Playbook magazine in Brussels, the European edition of Politico, expectations were high. Costa is the first socialist to head the European Council and the first member of his political circle to hold one of the EU's top posts since David Sassoli. However, many on the left remain dissatisfied. With his reappointment less than a year away, Costa cannot afford to disappoint his political base, which is expected to support him again. The magazine noted that two weeks prior, at the "Global Progressive Mobilization," a rally in Barcelona, ​​the frustration within the socialist camp was palpable. "I don't know what happened, but that person isn't Costa," said an official from a European Socialist Party, who requested anonymity to speak freely. Costa's abrupt withdrawal from the rally did little to improve this impression. Officially, he withdrew for personal reasons, but the anti-Trump tone of the event may have seemed like an overreaction for a president reluctant to deviate from the established order. A recurring criticism heard there was: Costa isn't bad, but he doesn't He also distinguishes himself. Some have pointed to his close relationship with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen—including joint letters on the X issue—and warned that he risks being sidelined by the centrist rhetoric of the European People’s Party.

Costa will have a chance to clarify his position when he meets with the Alliance of Mayors for Housing on Thursday afternoon, followed by a press conference in the evening. Maria del Mar Jimenez Caretti, the EU Commissioner in Barcelona and one of the alliance’s key architects, told Playbook before the meeting that the mayors want EU leaders to treat housing as a genuine crisis.

Caretti believes that Costa, as the former mayor of Lisbon, understands the scale of the problem. But the cities are demanding more from him, urging him to put housing at the top of the national leaders’ agenda and press governments to give mayors more resources and authority to tackle the crisis locally.

Momentum may increase under the upcoming Irish presidency—housing is also a vital issue there—with preliminary discussions underway about a possible leaders’ meeting at the time. Later this year, similar to the meeting held in Alden Bezen last February to discuss competitiveness, according to an EU official and a diplomat.

Also on the agenda: a meeting of mayors with the European Commission this morning before heading to Justus Lipsios to meet Costa. They will be hosted by Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera, along with Executive Vice-President Rafael Vitto, while Housing Commissioner Dan Jorgensen will participate by phone from Paris. The mayors will hold a press conference with Ribera at 10:00 a.m.

The topic of discussion: With the Affordable Housing Act nearing its adoption, the European Commission is keen to hear the mayors' views, particularly regarding short-term rentals, according to an EU official. However, convincing the Commission to allocate funds for housing in the next EU long-term budget will be more difficult. The mayors want a specific budget allocation for housing, but the Commission is not convinced. It argues that its long-term budget proposal already allows member states to prioritize housing in national and regional plans.