Commission to present the Affordable Housing Act next week

委員會將於下週提交《可負擔住房法案》

EU member states would have to debate the proposal before it becomes law

歐盟成員國需在提案成為法律前對其進行辯論

Residents in tourist hotspots have protested against surge in holiday rentals

旅遊熱點地區的居民抗議度假租賃激增

By Foo Yun Chee

作者：Foo Yun Chee

BRUSSELS, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Airbnb (ABNB.O) and other short-term home rental companies face new restrictions as the European Union seeks to tackle a shortage of affordable housing in tourism hotspots, according to a European Commission proposal seen by Reuters.

布魯塞爾，9 月 4 日（路透社）——據路透社看到的歐盟委員會提案，隨着歐盟尋求解決旅遊熱點地區可負擔住房短缺問題，愛彼迎（ABNB.O）和其他短期房屋租賃公司將面臨新的限制。

The EU is seeking to harmonise rules across Europe after authorities in cities including Paris, Barcelona and Venice cracked down on Airbnb.

在巴黎、巴塞羅那和威尼斯等城市的當局打擊愛彼迎之後，歐盟正尋求協調整個歐洲的規則。

Residents, especially young Europeans hit hardest by the housing crisis due to the surge in short-term holiday rentals, have also taken to the streets to protest.

受短期度假租賃激增影響而遭受住房危機重創的居民，尤其是年輕歐洲人，也走上街頭抗議。

European Commission Vice-President Teresa Ribera will present the Affordable Housing Act on September 9, which will then need to be debated by EU countries and European Parliament in the coming months before it can become law.

歐盟委員會副主席特蕾莎·裏貝拉（Teresa Ribera）將於 9 月 9 日提交《可負擔住房法案》，隨後幾個月內需經歐盟各國和歐洲議會辯論，才能成為法律。

HOW TO DEFINE A HOUSING SQUEEZE

如何定義住房緊缺

The proposal sets out criteria for determining what constitutes a housing squeeze that would justify curbs on short-term rentals.

該提案制定了確定構成住房緊缺的標準，從而證明對短期租賃實施限制是合理的。

Authorities “should assess housing stress in the area concerned on the basis of the price-to-income ratio and its growth across time together with other indicators that allow to demonstrate that housing stress is unlikely to ease in the future,” the draft said.

草案稱，當局 “應根據房價收入比及其隨時間的增長情況，以及其他能夠表明住房壓力在未來不太可能緩解的指標，評估相關地區的住房壓力。”

“The price-to-income ratio measures the affordability of housing by comparing the cost of acquiring a dwelling with the earnings of the household or population that is expected to purchase it,” it said.

草案稱：“房價收入比通過將購置住宅的成本與預期購買該住宅的家庭或人口的收入進行比較，來衡量住房的可負擔性。”

It said authorities should also assess population growth and housing supply and demand trends and that any measure should be non-discriminatory, proportionate and in the public interest.

草案稱，當局還應評估人口增長以及住房供需趨勢，且任何措施都應是非歧視性的、相稱的並符合公共利益。

The proposal said quantitative caps in areas facing a housing crunch or grandfathering rules, which allow those already operating to continue to abide by existing regulations, could be more appropriate than a ban on acquisitions or use of property.

提案稱，在面臨住房緊缺的地區，採取量化上限或 “祖父條款”（即允許已運營者繼續遵守現有法規）可能比禁止收購或使用房產更為合適。

Lobbying group CCIA, whose members include Airbnb, said the Commission should monitor national and local restrictions and resist disproportionate curbs.

成員包括愛彼迎在內的遊説團體 CCIA 表示，委員會應監控國家和地方的限制措施，並抵制不成比例的限制。

“Without enforceable proportionality checks, the Affordable Housing Act would serve no one well, not the homeowners who let a room to help make ends meet, not the regions and industries that live from tourism,” it said in a statement.

該團體在一份聲明中表示：“如果沒有可執行的相稱性檢查，《可負擔住房法案》將對任何人都沒有好處，既不利於通過出租房間來維持生計的房主，也不利於依賴旅遊業生存的各地區和各行業。”

The Affordable Housing Act follows the EU short-term rental data regulation, which took effect in May this year and requires short-term rental companies to share data with governments across Europe so they can monitor listings and flag non-compliant ones.

《可負擔住房法案》緊隨歐盟短期租賃數據法規之後，後者於今年 5 月生效，要求短期租賃公司與歐洲各國政府共享數據，以便政府監控房源並標記不合規的房源。