EU Commission proposes uniform rules for holiday apartments

The Brussels authority proposed corresponding rules on Wednesday to counteract the housing shortage in popular destinations.

The initiative also aims to harmonize regulations across Europe. “A year ago I promised to tackle the affordability of housing in Europe,” said Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. “Today we are taking a step in this direction.” We are creating more clarity and support for the municipalities, which are based on the local conditions.

So far, cities such as Paris, Barcelona and Venice have adopted different rules against rental platforms, which has repeatedly led to legal disputes. In addition, in the past, young people in particular had protested against the housing shortage and rising rents due to the boom in holiday apartments.

The proposal now provides for a uniform framework across Europe. Accordingly, authorities can identify areas with a tight housing market if, for example, the ratio of property prices to income is high. Possible restrictions must then be fact-based, necessary and limited to the affected areas. Before the rules can come into force, the EU states and the European Parliament must approve the proposal in the coming months.