On 28 and 29 May, Málaga became the heart of the European real estate sector. The CEPI-GIPE European Summit 2026 brought together representatives from all 25 CEPI member countries, alongside members of its Board of Directors and senior institutional figures, in a gathering that sent a clear message: international cooperation is essential to the future of the profession.

Two days of work, debate and commitment that firmly establish Málaga and Andalusia as a benchmark for the European real estate sector.

An opening with institutional backing

The inaugural session featured the participation of Ms María Rosa Serrano Morales, Regional Delegate for Housing and Infrastructure of the Junta de Andalucía in Málaga, and Ms Gisela María Jiménez, Head of the Housing Service of the Junta de Andalucía. Both expressed their institutional support for the sector and highlighted the importance of collaboration between public bodies and professionals in driving a more transparent, professional and sustainable real estate market.
Their presence at the opening set the tone for a summit that aimed to go beyond technical discussion — becoming a forum for genuine commitment among organisations, institutions and professionals from across Europe.

The issues that shaped the European agenda

During the working sessions, representatives from all 25 CEPI member associations addressed the key challenges defining the current state of the European real estate sector:

• The evolution of real estate markets across Europe and their differences by country.
• Professional mobility and cross-border qualification standards.
• Digitalisation as a driver of transformation within the sector.
• Specialist training and professional certification as guarantees of quality.
• Consumer protection and the strengthening of professional ethics.

These are not merely talking points — they form the roadmap on which CEPI and its member associations, including GIPE, work every day to raise the standard of the real estate profession across Europe.

Andalusia: a driving force for real estate in Spain

Alfred van Krimpen, President of GIPE, used the summit to highlight the weight of the real estate sector in the Andalusian and Spanish economies. He noted that Andalusia leads Spain in residential property transactions and that the sector accounts for between 10% and 11% of the regional GDP, with a significant knock-on effect on banking, construction, renovation, legal services, notaries and tourism.
A reality that, in his own words, makes it all the more important to keep investing in professionalisation, transparency and the recognition of those who drive that economic engine every single day.

The closing session: residential tourism and commitment to the sector

The closing ceremony featured a keynote by Mr Agustín Almodóbar Barceló, spokesperson for the Senate Tourism Committee, who focused his speech on the strategic importance of residential tourism and its contribution to the economic and social development of Spain and Andalusia.
His message aligned with the spirit running through the entire summit: the work of real estate professionals is not just an economic activity — it is an essential service for people and communities.

“We are here to move forward, to strengthen trust in our sector, and to remember that behind every transaction, every home and every project, there are people, there is commitment and there is a future. Because Andalusia does not just have potential; Andalusia has soul.” — Alfred van Krimpen, President of GIPE.

GIPE and CEPI: a partnership looking ahead

The CEPI-GIPE European Summit 2026 is more than an event. It is the most tangible expression of what it means to belong to a professional network with European recognition. GIPE, as an active CEPI member and the only Spanish association to award the MMCEPI quality mark, works every day to ensure that Spanish real estate professionals are aligned with the highest European standards in training, ethics and certification.
Events like this confirm that this path makes sense — and that the European real estate community is moving forward together.