GEFI – Groupement Européen des Fédérations intervenant dans l’Immobilier – EU Real Estate Private Owners, is a non-profit organisation created in 2001, based in Brussels representing national organisations from the EU27, which promotes private property, real estate property, sustainable housing and urban development. GEFI is notably looking for long term solutions on various issues such as housing offer, relation between landlords and tenants, energy savings in buildings, taxation and financial issues. GEFI believes that a balanced socio-economical development of EU territories in connection with the development of urban areas is vital for the future of EU. Adequate land use enables to create economic activity and job opportunities as well as to protect and enhance its environmental heritage and cultural landscape, including historic houses.
GEFI is regularly consulted by EC services during consultation processes on taxation and financing, property rights, housing, environment, real estate and related topics. GEFI was amongst other member of the Expert group on Urban Environment; is member of the European Parliament Intergroup Urban and Housing, chaired by MEP Jean-Marie BEAUPUY and vice-chaired by MEP Alain HUTCHINSON; is part of the network EUKN; was part of the expert group on mortgage and credit; was part of the Thematic strategy on soil protection namely on the soil sealing and urban sprawling issues; actively participated to the Sustainable Energy Week notably the session on revision of the EPBD. In addition, GEFI together with another coalition of organisations regularly sends inputs on the revision of the Directive, with a coalition of organisations launched a study undertaken by the Maastricht University on REITs, participated to the open hearing on OEREF; is part of the debate on the EU constitutional treaty notably on the property right and environmental issues, on reduced VAT and taxation issues, on the SSIG, on the structural/cohesion funds; and is a member of the European Housing Forum (EHF) which is regularly invited to contribute to the informal meetings of the European Ministers of Housing, is part of the ICREI (Aix en Provence – France) notably on the International conferences on property rights, economics and environment.
To forward its positions, GEFI has developed a communication strategy including elaboration and coordination of action programmes, involvement in EU and international conferences as well as workshops and think tanks management. GEFI also provides advise to its members.
Permanent Secretariat:
Thierry de l’Escaille Secretary General – CEO
Marie-Alice BudniokDirector of legal and administrative affairs
