The New European Bauhaus (NEB) initiative is moving from concept to implementation. This is evidenced by a Council Recommendation adopted by the Council of the European on 11 May 2026.
A Council Recommendation is a political instrument rather than legislation. It is not binding on Member States, but it provides a common framework for action. The European Commission described the document as “an important step in rolling out the initiative across Europe”.
The NEB supports the transformation of urban neighbourhoods and the built environment into spaces that are sustainable, accessible and improve people’s quality of life. The initiative is built around three core values: sustainability, inclusiveness and aesthetics.
The Recommendation calls on EU Member States to integrate NEB principles into their housing and urban development policies. In particular, countries may involve residents in urban planning processes. They may also convert vacant and abandoned buildings into housing instead of demolishing them and constructing new buildings.
An important context is that buildings account for 42% of total energy consumption in the EU and generate 35% of greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, upgrading the existing building stock rather than demolition and new construction is a key priority of the initiative.
A separate section of the document focuses on the sustainable and inclusive recovery of Ukraine. The Council calls on Member States to support pilot projects for schools, public spaces and cultural heritage preservation. It also envisages the consolidation of the future NEB Academy Hub in Ukraine as a support centre for stakeholders and local authorities.
Projects are already being implemented through the EU’s LIFE, Horizon Europe and Interreg programmes, including circular renovation projects for panel housing in Chernihiv, sustainable land-use initiatives and environmentally focused urban regeneration projects in the Black Sea Basin.
It is worth noting that Ukrainian projects have already been among the winners of the New European Bauhaus Prize. In particular, Promprylad.Renovation from Ivano-Frankivsk became a winner of the New European Bauhaus Prize.
Overall, €1.4 billion was allocated to the NEB during the 2021–2027 period. Over five years, the initiative has brought together almost 2,000 local and international organisations.
The European Commission also plans to introduce clear key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the impact of NEB projects and to develop a dedicated NEB Label for identifying eligible projects.