THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS - welcomes the fact that the European Pillar of Social Rights, proclaimed by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission at the social summit for fair jobs and growth in Gothenburg on 17 November 2017, includes the right to access to social housing, the right to good quality housing assistance, and the right to assistance and protection for those at risk of eviction; - highlights the increasing impact of EU policies and rules on the conditions under which Member State and regional and local authority housing policies are put into practice. This concerns the relevant State aid arrangements, the VAT system, the definition of social housing as a service of general economic interest, the rules governing public procurement and public-public cooperation, and country-specific recommendations under the European Semester, with regard in particular to rent controls and housing benefits; - following on from the EU Urban Agenda's Partnership for Housing, calls for the implementation of a European Agenda for Housing that can: ensure better coordination between EU policies and the policies of the Member States, their regions and local authorities; achieve better coordination of EU policies and intervention mechanisms to support these housing policies; and compare how European cities provide affordable housing; - welcomes the fact that the Commission's report on the EU Urban Agenda echoes its call for a review of Decision 2012/21/EU with the aim of broadening access to social housing beyond "disadvantaged citizens or socially less advantaged groups"; - calls for housing investment to be eligible under the post-2020 cohesion policy, in order to better respond to the diversity of local needs.