Takeaways of 45th UIPI International Congress
Collaborative economy: an opportunity for the real estate sector?
6-9 June 2019
Rome, Italy
The International Union of Property Owners (UIPI) held its 45th International Congress in Rome, Italy, from 6 to 9 June 2019, to discuss the growing importance of the collaborative economy in the real estate sector, and the opportunities and challenges it entails for European property owners.
Highlights
The Congress, hosted by Confedilizia, the Italian property owners’ association, brought together more than 150 representatives from all over Europe, together with EU and national policy-makers, experts from the housing and real estate sectors as well as high-profile researchers.
Collaborative business models are reshaping the short-term accommodation market by creating new sources of income and employment opportunities for European citizens. At the same time, local housing markets and direct neighbourhoods are concerned by this new phenomenon, sometimes with adverse consequences.
To overcome these challenges, the Italian Undersecretary for Economic Development, Andrea Cioffi, underlined the need to create the tools that enable citizens to fully benefit from these new business models, while Mara Carfagna – Vice-President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies – stressed in her welcome message the crucial importance of property owners’ organisations in this regard, especially in providing information, analyses and ideas for decision-makers.
Giorgio Spaziani Testa, President of Confedilizia, highlighted a key aspect of collaborative short-term rentals, stating that “the sharing economy can help families in smaller cities and rural areas pay their taxes as well as revive entire villages.”
In an attempt to reconcile all views, the President of UIPI, Stratos Paradias, emphasised the need for careful and well-thought policies: “What we need is a comprehensive, inclusive and balanced approach which could ensure harmony in our communities, enabling us to move forward, whilst preserving the legacy we bring with us, notably our values, our common heritage and property.”
