| OTHER HIGHLIGHTS |
The European Property Federation welcomes the new Energy Performance of Buildings Directive as a step change in the greening of the European building stock
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The Real Estate Council of the Netherlands – Raad voor Onroerende Zaken (ROZ) joins the European Property Federation
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ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENT FUND MANAGERS DIRECTIVE: Problems with scope and possible solutions raised at meeting with Commission
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STRICTER CRITERIA FOR PROPERTY LOANS UNDER THE CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS DIRECTIVE: EPF Position : Largely negative EPF response to the Commission Consultation
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REVISION OF THE INSURANCE MEDIATION DIRECTIVE: Landlords targeted.
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EU INITIATIVES ON LIABILITY AND INSURANCE REGIMES IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR: EPF response to the Elios Report
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EPF ACTIVITY: 2009 Annual Report
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EPF EU REAL ESTATE POLICY CHART: Overview of EU Real Estate Policy and EPF activity
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EU ECOLABEL FOR BUILDINGS: Major problems with the Commission Ad Hoc Working Group’s 2nd draft criteria for the award of the ecolabel
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COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION ON SMOKE-FREE ENVIRONMENTS: No tolerance for designated smoking areas. Owner/manager responsibilities. Penalties.
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EU LEGISLATION ON DERIVATIVES MARKETS: Would cover real estate interest rate hedging
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NEW EU URBAN POLICY AND EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT INTERGROUP: New Commissioner announces new EU urban policy and 69 MEPs launch URBAN Intergroup
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EQUAL TREATMENT DIRECTIVE: Very badly thought out measures for the identification and elimination of barriers to accessibility for the disabled in housing and other buildings
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COMMISSION CONSTRUCTION POLICY INITIATIVES IMPACTING EPF: 1) Construction Competitiveness, 2) Liability and Insurance Regimes in the Construction Sector, 3) EU Construction Information Platform
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TREATY OF LISBON: Impacts EU real estate policy in many ways
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CRUCIAL DECISION FOR A BETTER RENTAL PROPERTY MARKET |
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The European and Swedish Property Federations welcome the Swedish Parliament’s decision to adopt the bill, Municipal housing companies and reformed rent rules. The new legislation and legislative amendments come into force on 1 January 2011.
”The abolition of the municipal housing companies’ normative role for rent setting is very welcome, as is the requirement for them to be operated on commercial principles. The old regime discriminated strongly against private investors and landlords, which of course includes all ‘foreign’ investors and landlords on the Swedish market. The legal complaints filed by the European Property Federation (EPF) to the European Commission have played a major role in the Swedish government's considerations", said Michael MacBrien, EPF director general.
”These changes will contribute to a better functioning rental market to the benefit of all who want to live in rental apartments. The decision also marks a fundamental milestone in a constructive process between the Swedish Property Federation,, the Swedish Association of Municipal Housing Companies and the Swedish Union of Tenants to modernise the rental market", said Reinhold Lennebo, president of the Swedish Property Federation.
Under the new rules the municipal housing companies shall operate on commercial conditions and their normative role for setting rents will be replaced by a system where any collectively negotiated rents become normative. The Swedish Property Federation will become a full partner in negotiations and the rents they are negotiating will have the same legal significance as the municipal housing companies’ rents.
A continuation of the local models currently used is also made possible by a change in the rent negotiation law and a rule will be designed to protect against excessive and rapid rent increases. The latter will however take into account the possibility of direct rent increases following standard improvements.
”The reformed rent rules open new opportunities to offer housing that the residential tenants ask for, but also places demands on us as an organization to handle the new role", said Reinhold Lennebo.
Brussels and Stockholm, 28 June 2010
For additional information and comments, please contact:
Reinhold Lennebo, President
Swedish Property Federation
+46 705 12 33 90
Michael MacBrien, Director General
European Property Federation
+32 2 514 42 29
+32 478 22 54 53
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