EU warning fuels row over Valencia's 10-year housing rule
Ten years of registration history: that is what new applicants for protected homes to buy in the Valencian Community, Spain, must show, whether the years are continuous or interrupted. On 13 October 2026, a European Commission warning about giving nationals priority in housing and benefits fuels a row over the rule. But the warning does not assess the Valencian law.
What the EU warning says
The Commission was answering a question from Compromís MEP Vicent Marzà about agreements between the People’s Party (PP) and Vox in Aragón. In its reply, dated 10 September, Commissioner Magnus Brunner said a national-preference rule could breach EU law if it puts people from other EU countries or third countries at a disadvantage without justification and proportionality. A residence requirement could have that effect, he said.
Brunner also said EU countries cannot unilaterally impose a residence requirement longer than the five years set out in the rules for long-term residents. Marzà has since asked the Commission about the Valencian law, passed by the PP and Vox in late July. It allows further rules on national preference in public housing and social services. The Commission has not yet answered that question.
Parties clash over the rule
Compromís and the Valencian Socialists (PSPV) want the law withdrawn. Compromís says it will add the Commission’s reply to its complaint to Spain’s ombudsman. The PP’s Nando Pastor says there may be a misunderstanding and points to residence requirements in other municipalities. PSPV’s José Muñoz rejects the comparison, saying local-residence ties are different from national preference. Vox’s José María Llanos insists the measure is constitutional.
For people seeking a protected home to buy in the Valencian Community, the ten-year requirement remains. Whether the Commission considers that law compatible with EU rules is still unanswered.
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com