Headlines on rough sleepers freezing to death can be read all over Europe during these early winter months of 2006, urging policy-makers to respond with ‘winter emergency plans’ and prompt and outreach help to victims of the cold. Homelessness has been one of the main priority areas under the EU social inclusion strategy 2001-2005 (a strategy now streamlined with health and pensions to form one streamlined strategy on social protection and inclusion), and this was confirmed at the March 2005 EPSCO Council and at the October 2005 UK Presidency Round Table on social inclusion. Can the Council outline what actions have been taken to follow through on the commitment of European Social Affairs Ministers to treat homelessness as a priority and set a European objective to end street homelessness by 2010?