The European Commission has put forward new rules for short-term home rental platforms, such as Airbnb, to assist local authorities in tackling housing shortages in tourism hotspots. The proposal, made on Wednesday, aims to establish unified regulations across the EU.
This initiative follows a range of local restrictions in cities like Paris, Barcelona, and Venice, which have led to legal challenges. The rising number of holiday rentals has reportedly limited the availability of affordable homes, prompting residents, particularly younger citizens, to protest.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the move is a step towards addressing housing affordability in Europe by providing clarity and support to local authorities. The draft measures, if agreed upon by EU member states and the European Parliament, would create a common European framework for assessing residential housing policies.
The Commission suggests that local officials can identify strained housing markets by observing high price-to-income levels or consistent upward trends over a decade. Any resulting restrictions on short-term rentals must be necessary, backed by evidence, confined to the affected areas, and not applied retrospectively.
Airbnb, aligning with the tech lobby group CCIA Europe, has called for independent review or redress mechanisms. George Mavros, Airbnb's head of government affairs for the EU, stated that the core issue remains a shortage of available properties, suggesting regulation should focus on construction, renovation, and empty homes.