When fiscal autonomy knocks at the door. The regional cases of Catalonia and the Basque Country on the right to housing
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The right to housing is a soft-law principle in both international and European frameworks, as outlined in the [Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 25)](https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights) and the [United Nations International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Article 11)](https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/international-covenant-economic-social-and-cultural-rights) which postulates for housing protection within a larger standard of the right to adequate living, and the [European Pillar of Social Rights (2017)](https://commission.europa.eu/system/files/2017-11/social-summit-european-pillar-social-rights-booklet_en.pdf) which highlights the importance of adequate access to housing as a social good. Nevertheless, while these frameworks remain of non-binding nature, [11 out of the 27 EU Member States, recognize housing in their constitutions](https://www.feantsa.org/files/Observatory/Journals/Volume-7/V7-1/mk_paper.pdf). Among these, the Kingdom of Spain explicitly recognizes the right to access adequate housing in its national constitution as a binding obligation of the State. As such, Spain, known for its decentralized regional system of government, constitutes an interesting case, showcasing how the two existing intrastate fiscal models – the ordinary and foral regime – shape housing policy, as a regional competence.
Source: Eurac Research Blogs
Author: Garcia Alcázar, Àfrica
Language: English
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7206175076