EU draft supports local housing controls
On Tuesday 13 October 2026, Barcelona City Council welcomed the European Commission's draft Affordable Housing Act, which acknowledges that tourist apartments "reduce the availability of flats for residents and can affect citizens' right to access decent housing".
The draft, published on 9 September 2026, proposes a common European framework allowing local authorities to restrict short-term rentals in areas under housing stress. It confirms that measures taken by Barcelona to limit tourist accommodations are aligned with broader EU efforts to address housing shortages.
Legal clarity for municipal action
Under the proposed rules, cities must demonstrate that short-term rental activity has had a significant adverse effect on housing affordability or availability for at least three years before introducing restrictions. Authorities must also show that less restrictive measures would not be effective and that any action is targeted, necessary and proportionate.
The framework introduces a standard methodology for identifying "areas under housing stress", offering legal certainty to cities like Barcelona that regulate tourist lets. The city's first deputy mayor, Laia Bonet, described the draft as an "endorsement" of its policy to ban new tourist apartments from 2028.
The European Commission's proposal confirms that our measures are going in the right direction.
Municipal sources stressed that the draft validates their approach, reinforcing the legitimacy of local intervention in housing markets where tourist rentals aggravate shortages.
What happens next
The Affordable Housing Act will now undergo review by EU member states and the European Parliament. If adopted, it will empower cities to apply restrictions on short-term rentals and second-home purchases, provided they meet the defined criteria.
Barcelona has long argued that unchecked tourist rentals contribute to rising rents and displacement of residents. The city already requires registration of tourist apartments and has tightened licensing rules under its local tourism ordinance.
Primary sources: ec.europa.eu, cyprus.representation.ec.europa.eu, Barcelona City Council. Reported by en.ara.cat, agenceurope.eu, marketscreener.com, politico.eu, reuters.com, 2eu.brussels, Europa Press Barcelona.
