The European Commission welcomed on Thursday the political agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council on a short-term accommodation rentals proposal which was presented almost a year ago.
According to the Commission, the new regulation will increase transparency in the sector, with clear rules for hosts and platforms on data collection and sharing. It will provide key information to authorities that wish to address the impact of short-term rentals on local communities. Data sharing obligations for platforms will be adapted to the smallest players.
Following the agreement, the European Parlament and the Council will prepare the text of the new rules for formal adoption. Only then will it be published and become law. After its entry into force, member states will have a 24-month period to establish the mechanisms for data exchanges, which are already being prepared with the support of the Commission.
“Tourism is key for our EU economy,” commented Thierry Breton Commissioner in charge of the Single Market. “Short-term rentals are an important part of the tourism ecosystem, but shouldn't come at the expense of local communities. Today's agreement will enable local authorities to manage short-term rentals in an effective and proportionate way.”
As previously reported, the proposed framework will harmonize registration requirements for guests and their short-term rentals, where such requirements are imposed by national authorities. Once registered, hosts should receive a unique registration number.
The proposal does not define the length of short-term accommodation. “Short-term accommodation rental service’ means the short-term letting of a unit, against remuneration, whether on a professional or non-professional basis, as further defined by national law.”
Major digital platforms will have to share the relevant information with public authorities on a monthly basis. This information will include data on the number of stays and guests; the registration number; and the web address (URL) of the listings for short-term rentals located in the territory of the requesting public authority.
According to the proposal, national and local authorities retain the power to design rules and policies on short-term rentals, to deal, for instance, with health and safety issues, urban planning, security and taxation issues.
The Brussels Times reported recently about the short-term rental situation in Brussels where Brussels Regional Government has adopted a draft bill to regulate the renting.
According to the bill, a property can be a short-term lease for a maximum of 120 days each year. Any longer and it no longer fits within the parameters of a residential property – either the primary residence or a second home.
Research by KU Leuven has found that the average Airbnb in Brussels is rented for 150 days each year, thereby exceeding the city's definition of a residential property. It has been estimated that almost all of Airbnb renting in Brussels does not comply with the rules – making them liable to fines.
M. Apelblat
The Brussels Times
