The Housing Partnership was one of the first to be established within the framework of the Urban Agenda for the European Union. As stated in the Pact of Amsterdam, its ‘objectives are to have affordable housing of good quality. The focus will be on public affordable housing, state aid rules and general housing policy’. In taking up these issues, the Council acknowledged their relevance for the EU and its citizens, even though the EU does not have a direct mandate on housing. This made the work and outputs of the Housing Partnership special in many ways.