EU to Help Cities Clamp Down on Tourist Rentals
The proposal would target commercial multi-property operators while protecting people who rent out their main home, as EU homelessness reaches 1.2 million nightly.
- On September 9, the European Commission will unveil the Affordable Housing Act, a legal proposal allowing cities to restrict short-term rentals like Airbnb in areas facing acute housing stress.
- Rising living costs and property prices—which surged 60% over the last decade—have fueled protests in cities like Barcelona and Paris, where residents argue short-term platforms reduce long-term housing availability.
- Authorities must assess housing stress using price-to-income ratios, allowing them to target commercial multi-property operators while protecting individuals' rights to rent out their primary residences for short periods.
- Lobbying group CCIA, representing Airbnb, warned against "disproportionate curbs," while the Commission acknowledged that restricting holiday lets cannot solve the bloc's structural housing shortage alone.
- European Commission Vice-President Teresa Ribiera will present the plan next week, after which it must undergo debate by EU countries and the European Parliament before becoming law.
22 Articles
22 Articles
The European Bill for Affordable Housing aims to provide a sound legal basis for local authorities in order to limit the development of Airbnb Brussels-style rentals.
Times of Malta
EU to help cities clamp down on tourist rentals
The EU is set to lay out rules helping European cities to curb short-term rentals such as Airbnb in a bid to tackle rising house prices, according to plans seen by AFP Friday.The European Commission is expected to unveil next week a legal proposal setting out the conditions under which authorities can restrict the provision...
Brussels to open door to curbing Airbnb and second homes
As housing prices become increasingly unsustainable in Europe, the European Commission plans to clarify when and how national authorities can restrict short-term rentals in areas under pressure, according to a document seen by Euronews.
Airbnb and other short-term real estate rental companies face new restrictions in the face of the European Union initiative to combat the shortage of affordable housing in tourist destinations. Read more (09/04/2026
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