[What follows is a joint press release by Progetto Firenze and Gruppo 25 Aprile. – Ed.]
Joint Press Release
Florence and Venice, 26 June 2019
With a statement released to La Stampa, commissioner Cecilia del Re, who is responsible for urban planning and tourism, has announced the City of Florence’s intention to sign on to the appeal that Progetto Firenze and Gruppo 25 Aprile had sent to their respective Mayors.
The appeal, supported by hundreds of citizens and many associations, in which the cities of Florence and Venice were asked to join the request sent to Parliament and the EU Commission by ten European cities (Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Bordeaux, Brussels, Cracow, Monaco, Paris, Valencia and Vienna) to intervene on behalf of their efforts to contain the flood of short term rentals.
We therefore wish to express our sincere thanks to the Mayor and the Administration of Florence for their participation, which brings to twelve the number of European cities who are asking the EU for a response to protect the cities and their living space.
We hope to see a similarly fast response now from Bergamo, and we join the appeal that the Bergamo Bene Comune association has sent to Mayor Giorgio Gori and his Administration.
We want to recall the fact that this initiative by these ten cities in Europe was launched after a non-binding opinion was issued by the Attorney General of the Court of Justice which stated that, according to the regulations and directives of the EU, Airbnb would have to be considered an information provider rather than a traditional real estate agent. If such a status were to be recognized by the Court, the online platforms will be relieved of the obligation to comply with existing laws, or those being introduced, for the regulation of short term rentals and the containment of tourist gentrification of entire quarters and cities.
- Associazione Progetto Firenze
- Associazione 25aprile Venezia
Source: www.gruppo25aprile.org
Campaign For A Living Venice 