On Monday, 10 November, Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jørgensen will travel to Germany for a 2-day visit focused on advancing the EU energy agenda and efforts to tackle the housing crisis. The visit will include meetings with federal and regional policymakers, as well as on-site discussions with local organisations and project representatives.

The Commissioner’s visit will begin in Potsdam, where he will visit the EWP Geothermieprojekt – the city’s first major deep geothermal energy project, designed to supply heating to up to 5 000 households – with Carsten Schneider, Germany’s Federal Minister for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety.

The Commissioner will engage in energy discussions with Minister Schneider on Monday and meet with the Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, Katherina Reiche, the following day. 

On Monday afternoon, Commissioner Jørgensen will participate in a joint meeting of the Economy and Energy, the Housing and the European Affairs committees of the German Parliament – the Bundestag.  

EU efforts to ensure the affordability of housing across the Union will also feature prominently in the Commissioner’s visit to Germany, as the Commission plans to adopt the first-ever European Affordable Housing Plan by the end of the year. Still on Monday, Commissioner Jørgensen will hold a meeting with the Federal Minister for Housing, Urban Development and Construction, Verena Hubertz.

On Tuesday, he will visit the Miteinander House, a pioneering social housing project offering affordable, long-term living options that promote independence and security for vulnerable groups together with Christian Gaebler, Senator for Urban Development, Building and Housing. At the site, they will also meet with two social welfare organisations. Later on, the Commissioner will visit the Wasserstadt Spandau, an innovative affordable, sustainable and socially inclusive housing project, with Stephan Machulik, State Secretary for Housing and Tenant Protection.

The Commissioner will then participate in a roundtable on security challenges — including energy security — at the WELT Security Summit in Berlin.

Audiovisual coverage of the visit will be available on EBS.

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