EU to get Airbnb and rival rental firms to share user numbers           

Under proposed rules, Airbnb and its peers will have to share data about the number of guests and rented nights with public authorities

European Commission's proposal marks an effort to tackle the patchwork of different national laws across the EU regulating Airbnb and its rivals

Airbnb and other short-term home rental companies will have to share data on the number of people using their platforms under proposed EU rules, the European Commission has said, in a light-touch approach to regulating this sector.

The commission's proposal comes as popular tourist destinations such as Paris, Venice, and Barcelona blame Airbnb for aggravating housing shortages by pushing out lower-income residents.