Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
The European Ministerial Council in Brussels said that, as part of ongoing efforts to promote a balanced tourism ecosystem within the European Union, the Council and the European Parliament have reached a provisional agreement on a draft regulation on data collection and sharing for short-term accommodation rental services.
“Everyone is a winner with today's deal. The new regulation creates a single, easy set of information rules for platforms and simplifies registration procedures for hosts. More transparency will boost traveler confidence and help authorities design better tourism policies, ensuring social and environmental sustainability while helping to control illegal activity.” According to what was reported in a European statement Thursday in Brussels from Rosanna Murillo Rodriguez, Acting Spanish Secretary of State for Tourism, whose country currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union.

A simpler and coordinated data collection system
The regulation proposal aims to enhance transparency in the field of short-term accommodation rentals and help public authorities regulate this increasingly important part of the tourism sector. The development of online services and the collaborative economy has increased room and housing rents for short periods of time, often via online platforms. While short-term accommodation bookings provide benefits for hosts and tourists alike, they can be a cause for concern for some communities that suffer from a lack of affordable housing, for example.
The new rules introduce harmonized registration requirements for hosts and short-term rental properties, including granting a unique registration number to be displayed on property websites, with the aim of improving the collection and sharing of data from hosts and online platforms. The resulting data will be shared between public administrations across the EU, feeding into tourism statistics and allowing administrations to fight illegal supply. Overall, this will contribute to creating a more sustainable tourism ecosystem that supports its digital transformation.

The main elements of the settlement
The Interim Agreement supports the main objectives of the Regulation but introduces a number of improvements. The participating legislators agreed to align the new regulation with the relevant provisions of the Digital Services Act and the Services Directive.
Platforms will be required to transmit activity data to public authorities on a monthly basis. Small and micro online rental platforms will move the activity every three months.
Member states will create single digital entry points to seamlessly collect and exchange information. It will be interoperable and will ensure data protection. The European statement concluded by saying, "The new regulation should be implemented 24 months after it enters into force."