New EU transparency rules for short-term rental accommodation are now in force across Europe under Regulation (EU) 2024/1028, with online platforms facing new obligations in countries that choose to apply the system.
Short-term accommodation rentals have grown rapidly in the EU, largely driven by online platforms, and now account for around one quarter of tourist accommodation offers, the European Commission declared in a statement on Thursday.
The rules create an EU-wide framework for collecting and sharing data from hosts and platforms, including information on guest stays and nights booked.
Countries that opt in and introduce registration procedures must make them fully online, with hosts receiving a unique registration number for each property.
Platforms must display and verify those registration numbers and carry out random checks to help identify illegal listings, while public authorities can request the removal of listings that do not comply.
Monthly data sharing with authorities
Under the framework, platforms are required to share monthly data with public authorities through a Single Digital Entry Point set up by each Member State — an official channel for submitting the required information, the Commission said.
Simpler reporting requirements will apply to small and micro platforms.
Aggregated data gathered under the rules will feed into tourism statistics produced by Eurostat, while personal data must be protected.
Guests spent 951.6 million nights in short-term rental accommodation booked through online platforms in 2025.
The Regulation is set up on an opt-in or opt-out basis, meaning member states are not obliged to apply it, but those that introduce a registration system and or request data from platforms must do so through this Regulation.
