HOTREC and EFFAT Release Joint Statement on EU Short-Term Rental Legislation

HOTREC and EFFAT have released a joint statement supporting the European Commission’s initiative to address short-term accommodation rental services as part of the European Affordable Housing Plan.

HOTREC and EFFAT, representing European social partners in the hotel, restaurant, bar, and café sector, have issued a joint statement in response to the European Commission’s objective of complementing existing regulation and proposing a legislative act targeting short-term accommodation rental services (STR). The statement was released on 02 March 2026.

The organizations state that regulatory differences between STRs and traditional accommodation providers have contributed to housing market distortions in several cities. The expansion of short-term accommodation rentals has reduced the supply of long-term rentals and contributed to increases in rental and sale prices, particularly in areas with already pressurized housing markets.

Since 2014, HOTREC and EFFAT have engaged in regular exchanges regarding the impact of the sharing or platform economy on the European hospitality sector through sectoral social dialogue. This cooperation has resulted in multiple joint statements reflecting shared concerns among the social partners.

The statement notes that despite the growing professionalization of STRs, these services remain insufficiently regulated compared to traditional accommodation providers. The organizations cite challenges arising from this regulatory gap, including unfair competition, undeclared work, safety and security risks, unreported tax revenues, tax evasion, unbalanced tourism, and increased pressure on local housing markets.

HOTREC and EFFAT state that hospitality workers are affected by the proliferation of short-term rentals and housing shortages, which increase sector pressures, raise living costs, and limit access to suitable accommodation near workplaces. Workers with atypical hours, as well as seasonal and migrant workers, who constitute the majority of the tourism workforce, face particular difficulties securing affordable accommodation in popular tourism destinations.

The organizations welcome the European Affordable Housing Plan and the announced Affordable Housing Act, which acknowledge distortions in competition and regulatory imbalances between short-term rentals and hotels. Hotels are subject to national obligations covering working and employment conditions, standards, security and safety, fiscal matters, liability, guest registration, and consumer protection.

HOTREC and EFFAT call for a coherent, data-driven, and predictable European Union framework that empowers authorities at national, regional, and local levels to adopt targeted and proportionate measures. The statement asserts that closing the regulatory gap by establishing comparable obligations for both STRs and hotels is necessary to address housing pressures linked to the growth of short-term rentals.

The full joint statement is available at the HOTREC website.