L’UE veut sévir contre les locations de courte durée pour rendre le logement plus abordable

The European Union is considering stricter regulations on short-term rentals in order to make housing more affordable in Europe's most sought-after cities. The Affordable Housing Act, which the EU Commission aims to approve on Wednesday, would give local authorities the legal basis to implement targeted measures to address housing shortages.

Commissioner Dan Jørgensen, responsible for Energy and Housing, insists that short-term rentals are not the root cause of Europe's housing crisis, but they can exacerbate the problem in certain regions, particularly in big cities. Despite representing only about 1.2% of the EU's total housing stock, short-term rentals in popular tourist destinations can account for up to 20% of available housing, and even up to 56% of long-term rentals in some districts of Madrid.

According to the consultancy AirDNA, Paris had around 60,000 active short-term rental listings last year, which represented nearly 40% of the available rental stock in central Porto, and up to 56% of long-term rentals in certain neighborhoods of Madrid. Jørgensen explains that removing thousands of residential units from a city already in crisis can severely impact people's financial ability to access housing and the overall housing supply.

While cities such as Barcelona, Amsterdam, Florence, and Paris have already taken steps to tackle short-term rentals through removals, authorization systems, rent caps, or restrictions on new short-term rentals, these measures have often led to lengthy legal battles. Property owners and tourism professionals have challenged these restrictions, with Airbnb contesting a €64 million fine imposed by Spain for listing illegal listings. These legal battles have been costly and time-consuming for local authorities.

Jørgensen argues that the new legislation would allow local authorities that wish to take action to do so effectively without facing litigation risks. He dismisses the industry's argument that such restrictions could harm tourism-dependent economies and owners relying on rental income, emphasizing that "housing is a right, not just a commodity," and that "people must come before profits."

The commissioner also challenges the sector's claim that the Commission is overstepping its competences by legislating on housing, a domain in which the EU has only limited direct powers. Under the future legislation, it will be up to national, regional, and local authorities to determine which areas are considered strained and whether and how to intervene.

Jørgensen assures that the objective is not to impose restrictions from Brussels, but to address the urgent issue of housing access, which is one of Europe's most pressing challenges.

This legislation comes nearly a year after EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the housing shortage in the EU as a "social crisis" and committed to taking action. Jørgensen emphasizes that this law represents a "decisive step" in supporting cities, regions, and countries seeking immediate solutions for the most affected areas and populations, while acknowledging that it is not a panacea.

He stresses that the housing crisis is a complex problem and that the EU still needs to take further measures related to investment, simplification of rules, supply, and pressure on the existing housing stock.