The European Commission proposed an EU crackdown on holiday homes on Wednesday, setting out a first-ever common European framework for housing measures in tourism-heavy areas. The plan would give authorities a shared way to judge when short-term rental limits are justified.
Ursula von der Leyen said, "A year ago, I promised to tackle Europe's housing affordability" and added, "Today, we are taking one step in this direction. By providing more clarity and support to local authorities and communities, anchored in local realities," The Commission says the proposal is meant to help officials act where housing shortages are most acute.
Paris Barcelona and Venice
The push follows years of city-level restrictions in Paris, Barcelona and Venice, where different approaches to Airbnb have already triggered legal challenges. Under the new framework, authorities can identify a housing squeeze by checking whether price-to-income levels are high or whether that trend has risen over the past 10 years.
Any later restriction on short-term rentals would have to be based on evidence, limited to the affected area and not applied retroactively. The proposal also recommends that authorities unlock land for housing and modernize planning and construction processes.
Airbnb and CCIA Europe
Airbnb said the crux of the problem is the short supply of housing. George Mavros said, "That means focusing it (the regulation) where the shortage actually is: construction, renovation, and the homes standing empty across Europe today."
CCIA Europe took a more skeptical view of how the system would work in practice. Alexandre Roure said, "Without independent scrutiny or effective redress, this proposal will remain a paper tiger, leaving disproportionate restrictions in place and undermining the legal certainty the Affordable Housing Act is meant to provide".
The proposal leaves the final call with authorities, but it cannot take effect until EU countries and the European Parliament agree in the coming months. For residents and hosts in tourism-heavy areas, the immediate question is how strictly those institutions reshape the rules before they reach law.
