COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,update

 

Press material Thursday 16 November 2023

● Council of the EU   16/11/2023 02:52 | Press release | Tourism: Council and Parliament reach a deal to bring more transparency to short-term accommodation rentals   As part of the ongoing efforts to promote a balanced tourism ecosystem within the EU, the Council and the European Parliament today reached a provisional agreement on a draft regulation on data collection and sharing for short-term accommodation rental services. "Everybody wins with today’s deal. The new regulation creates a single and easy set of information rules for the platforms and facilitates registration procedures for hosts. More transparency will enhance trust for travellers and help authorities design better tourism policies, to ensure social and environmental sustainability, while helping to control illegal activity." Rosana Morillo Rodriguez, acting Spanish Secretary of State for Tourism Simpler, harmonised system of data collection The proposal for a regulation aims at enhancing transparency in the field of short-term accommodation rentals and helping public authorities regulate this increasingly important part of the tourism sector. The development of online services and the cooperative economy has boosted rentals of rooms and residences for short periods of time, often via online platforms. While short-term accommodation bookings offer benefits for hosts and tourists alike, they can be a cause for concern for some local communities struggling with a lack of affordable housing, for example. The new rules introduce harmonised registration requirements for hosts and short-term rental properties, including the granting of a unique registration number to be displayed on property websites, aimed at improving the collection and sharing of data from hosts and online platforms. The data generated will be shared between public administrations across the EU, feeding into tourism statistics and allowing administrations to fight against illegal offer. Overall, this will contribute to a more sustainable tourism ecosystem which supports its digital transition. Main elements of the compromise The provisional agreement supports the main objectives of the regulation but introduces a number of improvements. The co-legislators have 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 the public authorities on a monthly basis. Small and micro online short-term rental platforms will transmit the activity every three months. Member states will create Single Digital Entry Points for the seamless collection and exchange of information. They will be interoperable and will guarantee data protection. The new regulation should apply 24 months after its entry into force.

Press material Thursday 16 November 2023

● European Council   16/11/2023 12:21 | Media advisory | Press briefing before the EU-Canada summit of 23-24 November 2023   The press briefing ahead of the EU-Canada summit of 23-24 November 2023 will take place on Wednesday 22 November 2023 at 16.00 (CET). This briefing will be "off the record". The press briefing will take place in a hybrid format: EU accredited journalists will be able to participate and ask questions either in person at the Europa building press room or remotely. To attend the event remotely, please use this link to register and have the possibility to ask questions. EU accredited journalists who already registered for previous high level press events in 2022 and 2023 do not need to do it again. • Deadline for registration: Wednesday 22 November 2023 at 15.00. Further instructions will be sent to all registered participants shortly after the deadline. Meetings Wednesday 15 November 2023   ● Council of the EU   15/11/2023 19:55 | MEETING | Main results - General Affairs Council, 15 November 2023   Ministers focused on preparations for the December European Council, Article 7 procedures regarding Poland and Hungary, EU-UK relations, European electoral law, and the future of Europe discussions. The presidency updated the Council on Spain’s request to amend regulation no 1/1958 to include Catalan, Basque and Galician.

Meetings Thursday 16 November 2023

● Council of the EU   16/11/2023 14:18 | MEETING | Agenda highlights - Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council, 23-24 November 2023   Ministers for education, youth, culture and sport will meet in Brussels to discuss digital education and skills, youth and mental health, and to reflect on ways to attract female talent to science and technology. They will focus on youth mainstreaming, including the role of young people in decision-making processes in the European Union, and on strengthening European values through education and training. They will also address topics such as improving working conditions for artists, supporting the cultural and creative dimension of videogames, as well as equality and safety in sport.

Meetings Thursday 16 November 2023

● Council of the EU   16/11/2023 15:05 | MEETING | Agenda highlights - Agriculture and Fisheries Council, 20 November 2023   Agriculture and fisheries ministers will meet in Brussels on 20 November 2023. They will hold their first discussion on the fishing opportunities for 2024 in the Atlantic and the North Sea, and in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Ministers will seek to approve a set of conclusions on a long-term vision for the EU's rural areas and, among other topics, they will discuss the state of play of the proposal for a regulation on new genomic techniques.