Treballadors pel Lloguer Turístic Celebrates EU Advocate General's Stand on Short-Term Rental Regulations

Treballadors pel Lloguer Turístic (TLT) has expressed its approval of the recent conclusions presented by the Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) concerning case C-813/24, involving Smartflats. Although this opinion is not the final judgement, it indicates that public authorities should not impose arbitrary or disproportionate restrictions on tourist accommodations.

This case scrutinizes the EU regulations concerning tourist housing, shedding light on an essential issue: building permits should not transform into an administrative black box, lacking objective criteria and granting excessive discretionary political power. The European legislation mandates that regulations be proportional, transparent, and foreseeable.

This principle carries significant implications for Catalonia. The Decree-Law 3/2023 mandates prior building permits for tourist residences, limits new licenses, and sets expiration dates for existing licenses. In a striking decision, Barcelona has slated the closure of 10,000 tourist apartments by 2028. This measure extends throughout Catalonia, impacting coastal and mountainous municipalities, with an anticipated elimination of 50,000 HUT licenses. According to TLT, enforcing this decree could lead to the largest collective layoff in Catalonia's history, directly affecting 200,000 workers.

Guillem Laporta, president of TLT, highlighted the importance of this opinion by stating, "European institutions are beginning to set boundaries on a governance approach that leans more towards political narratives than on evidence. The Catalan regulations are neither proportional nor justified by any empirical studies. Thousands of tourism-related jobs hang in the balance."

TLT has reaffirmed its commitment to advocating for fair, balanced regulations grounded in data, which protect access to housing and the jobs tied to the economic activity of this sector. The organization is urging the Catalan government and the city council of Barcelona to abandon their strategy of confrontation and blanket veto and to engage in dialogue with the affected workers.

About Treballadors pel Lloguer Turístic

Treballadors pel Lloguer Turístic (TLT) is a worker's movement impacted by Decree-Law 3/2023. It represents workers, local suppliers, and independent operators linked to short-term rentals in various areas such as cleaning, maintenance, management, software development, catering, retail, and local services.

About Decree-Law 3/2023

Enacted on November 7, 2023, Decree-Law 3/2023 foresees the expiration of current HUT licenses in Catalonia by November 2028. This regulation affects 95,000 properties and indirectly impacts 200,000 workers. The measure was introduced by the government under Pere Aragonès. On September 20, 2025, the former president announced his resignation from political life to lead his family's hotel chain.

As this situation develops, TLT remains vigilant in ensuring that any regulations pertaining to short-term rentals uphold the values of fairness and support the workers who rely on this vital sector of the economy.