The European Commission has unveiled draft rules aimed at tightening the regulation of short‑term rental platforms across the European Union, in a bid to curb holiday lets and safeguard housing stock. The proposal places new duties on platforms such as Airbnb to verify hosts, share data with authorities, and enforce local housing rules.
Under the plans, platforms would be required to collect and transmit information about listings, hosts and occupancy to national regulators, enabling swifter enforcement and improved tax compliance. The directive would also push platforms to ensure hosts comply with local registrations, safety standards and licensing requirements, and to remove listings that fail to do so.
In addition, the package would grant cities greater power to regulate the use of properties for short‑term lets and to sanction platforms that do not cooperate. A harmonised framework across member states would make it easier for local authorities to crack down on unregistered or illegal holiday rentals.
The move is pitched as addressing housing pressures in tourist hotspots. Cities such as Barcelona, Amsterdam and Madrid have long argued that unregulated short‑term rentals squeeze ordinary residents from the housing market, driving up rents and reducing available homes.
Airbnb has signalled support for clearer rules that protect guests and ensure safety, but warned that overly prescriptive regulations could burden ordinary hosts and distort legitimate tourism. A company spokesperson emphasised the need for transparency and fairness, while cautioning against blanket restrictions that could deter genuine hospitality offers.
Other industry voices welcomed the plan, arguing it would level the playing field between platforms and traditional hotels and assist cities in enforcing rules that already exist. The European Hotel and Tourism Confederation said the proposal could help authorities manage short‑term lets while preserving tourism benefits.
The Commission stressed that enforcement would sit with member states, using a standardised EU framework to guide supervision and penalties for non‑compliance. Officials said the move forms part of a broader effort to modernise the EU’s digital economy and bolster accountability for online platforms.
If adopted, the rules would apply across EU member states, with potential indirect effects for operators based outside the bloc that offer listings in European destinations. The policy aims to protect residents while sustaining legitimate tourism, a balance frequently debated in cities reliant on visitor numbers.
