“We are very happy that other European countries have also raised their ambitions in the fight against homelessness.”
The promises made in the declaration include better cooperation between the EU and its Member States to eradicate homelessness and adequate funding for the work. A body for cooperation will be set up as a forum for sharing tools and solutions to support Member States.
Finland is the only EU country where homelessness has decreased for several years in a row.
“This has required and will continue to require long-term efforts, and we are happy to share the information gathered during this process. For example, the principle of living in Finland first has proved to be an effective tool, and we encourage other EU countries to adopt it as well,” says Mikkonen.
In accordance with the government program, the Finnish Ministry of the Environment, together with other ministries, key urban areas, service providers and non-governmental organizations, has launched a co-operation program to halve homelessness by 2023.
Work to prevent homelessness is also supported by making housing counseling a legal obligation.
Source: Ministry of the Environment