EU plans to draft law targeting Airbnb-style short-term rentals

The European Commission is drafting legislation aimed at helping EU countries tackle the effects of the rapid growth of short-term housing rentals, according to the Financial Times (FT).

If adopted, the proposal would allow cities and regions to impose restrictions on the use of apartments through platforms such as Airbnb. The short-term rental market has become the subject of prolonged legal battles between tourism operators and local authorities.

Data from the Joint Research Centre (JRC) show that short-term housing rentals account for just 1.2% of the EU’s housing stock. The situation is different in popular tourist destinations, however. In Sorrento, Italy, and Dubrovnik, Croatia, the share reaches 20%.

Authorities in tourist destinations argue that the influx of visitors is displacing local residents and driving up housing prices.

By Jeyhun Aghazada