The S&D Group in the European Parliament today adopted its position paper on the New European Bauhaus initiative, asking for more quality job creation in the building and restoration sector, as well as taking on board the green and digital aspect as new sources for creativity and sustainability. The Socialists and Democrats set their priorities ahead of the European Commission’s communication, expected in September 2021. The S&D Group believes that greater involvement of the European Parliament in the process of developing the New European Bauhaus is necessary to guarantee the democratic and socially inclusive nature of the initiative.

Marcos Ros Sempere, S&D MEP and member of the committee on culture and education, said:

“This New European Bauhaus should be a framework for analysis and discussion ahead of the Renovation Wave of building work. Its importance is due to the fact that we need these funds to be conditional on the implementation of Bauhaus solutions, because we cannot allow all the big investment in building renovation to end up just changing the air-conditioning or putting in solar panels: we need a real transformation of our built environment. Architecture can change our lives, but only good architecture can improve them.”

Jytte Guteland, S&D MEP and spokesperson on the environment, public health and food safety, added:

“Future cities needs to be sustainable cities. The building sector must be a priority when decarbonising our economies and reaching climate neutrality by 2050. We need to bring nature closer to people both for recreational and health purposes. Our future cities cannot be dangerously polluted - they should instead have fresh and clear air. If we fail to create green spaces where people live, people will instead take their cars to get there.”

Note to the editors:

The "New European Bauhaus" initiative was officially launched on 14 October 2020. In the words of President Ursula Von der Leyen, "the New European Bauhaus movement is intended to be a bridge between the world of science and technology and the world of art and culture”. The seed of this proposal was born on 16 September, when Von der Leyen mentioned in her speech at the State of the Union Debate her desire to create "a new European Bauhaus, a co-creation space where architects, artists, students, engineers and designers work together" stating that “this is not just an environmental or economic project: it needs to be a new cultural project for Europe”. As stated by Commissioner Gabriel regarding the launch of the Bauhaus initiative, “we can only move forward if sites become cultural sites”.

The European Commission intends to use the funds of the European Recovery Plan (Next Generation EU) to promote a "Renovation Wave" of 35 million buildings across the European Union, built from the second half of the 20th century, which are greatly facing the problems of energy consumption, as well as indoor environmental quality, combining sustainability, the comfort, air quality, thermal insulation, healthy conditions and many other aspects.

The initial design of the Bauhaus is intended to have three phases. The first one focuses on design - to explore ideas and shape the project. The second phase starts with five New European Bauhaus projects in different EU member states. It is proposed that these projects are committed to sustainability, combined with art and culture, adapted to local conditions and with a specific focus such as energy efficiency and structural safety, future-oriented e-mobility or resource-efficient digital innovation. The third phase will be focused on the dissemination of the idea throughout Europe.