The European Commission submitted a proposal for a mandatory regulation in early November. platforms Providing information to the authorities about the number of nights rented and guests in order to make touristic apartments such as Airbnb more transparent and to fight fraud in this sector. In just four months, in “a record time”, the European Union’s competitiveness ministers were able to reach and close a deal, according to the Swedish Minister of Energy, Trade and Industry, who headed the EU that term. preliminary agreement now they will have to negotiate with them European Parliament before getting final approval.
“The regulations will benefit short-term rental players alike: landlords will have a simple registration procedure, platforms will have a single set of rules regarding the information they need to provide, travelers will be better protected against fraud, and authorities will be able to regulate based on precise and reliable data. ‘ the minister summed up. Ebba Bush On the general orientation adopted by Twenty-seven. A deal welcomed by Spain. Minister of State for Tourism, “It will help prevent illegal offers that cause conflicts in local communities, increase the problem of access to housing and unfair competition”, Rosa Morillo.
In recent months, numerous European cities, from Barcelona to Amsterdam or Paris, have asked the European Commission to regulate the ecosystem of tourist apartments and short-term rentals on online platforms such as Airbnb or Booking, which already represents Europe. 25% of all tourist stays in the EU, according to figures from Community Manager. One of the main challenges is the lack of reliable information about the services offered, such as the identity of the host, the location and duration of these services; this makes it difficult for authorities to assess and develop and implement the real impact. adequate policy responses and proportionate.
According to Brussels, the deal closed by Twenty-seven this Thursday will make that goal a reality. “For Airbnb, this announcement represents a step towards more transparent and harmonized rules for hosts across the EU,” the company said in a statement, warning that there are cities like Barcelona and Brussels whose rules are overly strict. complex short-term leases that “restrict landlords’ ability to take advantage of home sharing.”
Under the general approach approved by 27 countries, Member States requesting data from platforms “single digital entry point” nationwide for data transmission between online short-term rental platforms and public authorities. Any house, apartment or room offered for tourist rental for a limited number of days per year will need to have a registration number so that the authorities can identify the “host”, i.e. the person requesting it. rent the house. The information they must provide includes from the address to the type of accommodation, whether it is part of the main or secondary residence, and the number of places. If the host is a natural person, he will need to provide a contact phone number, email address, national identification number and name.
In addition, online platforms will need to make “reasonable efforts” to run regular random checks to verify that there are no false reports or invalid registration numbers on the host. This, they think, will provide authorities with the data they need to organize the activity, while providing less bureaucracy and less cost for hosts and platforms. With this system, governments think that it will provide equal conditions with other agencies in the tourism sector (such as hotels, hostels or apartments) and will help fight fraud.