Soaring rents and housing costs have priced out young people, key workers and families from many European cities
The European Commission has announced it will regulate short-term rentals and seek to curb speculation in the housing market, under the EU’s first-ever plan to tackle a shortage of affordable homes.
Housing is largely a matter for local and national authorities, but the issue has climbed up the EU agenda, as soaring rents and housing costs have priced out young people, key workers and families from many European cities.
Dan Jørgensen, the EU’s first commissioner for housing, said European democracy was at stake: “If we don’t solve this issue, we risk leaving a void that extremist political forces will take.”
Publishing a plan on Tuesday, the European Commission said it planned to draft legislation on the booming trade in short-term rentals via online platforms such as Airbnb and Booking.com by the end of 2026. EU officials insist they do not intend to ban short-term holiday lets, but say local authorities need greater legal certainty about actions they can take to address the issue.
