Meridian · Freshness tracker

What's changed.

Dated updates to visa, tax, residency, citizenship, housing, and labour policy across every country tracked. Every entry cites its primary source and the date we last verified it.

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In force 9 Nov 2028
Announced Housing

Barcelona tourist-flat licences to lapse by November 2028

The Ajuntament de Barcelona announced in June 2024 that it would not renew any of the approximately 10,100 existing tourist-rental (HUT) licences in the city when they expire by 9 November 2028, effectively ending short-term holiday rentals within Barcelona. Regional bodies published implementing decisions through 2024-2025.

Who it affects: Owners of licensed tourist flats in Barcelona; long-term rental supply expected to rise.

Ministerio de Vivienda y Agenda Urbana ↗ · Gobierno de España — La Moncloa ↗ · verified 2026-04-21

In force 1 Jul 2025
In force Housing

National short-term rental registry (Registro Único de Alquileres) mandatory

From 1 July 2025 all operators of short-term rental accommodation (Airbnb, Booking, direct-bookings) must register with the national Registro Único de Alquileres and display the registry number in listings. Designed to enforce licensing compliance in major tourist cities. Related municipal moratoria (notably Barcelona's plan to eliminate tourist rental licences by 2028) continue separately.

Who it affects: Short-term rental hosts and tourist-accommodation operators.

BOE — Boletín Oficial del Estado (Spanish Official Gazette) ↗ · La Moncloa — Spanish Government ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 13 Mar 2024
In force Housing

Reference rental-price index published for tight-market zones

The Ministerio de Vivienda y Agenda Urbana published the "sistema estatal de referencia del precio del alquiler de vivienda" on 13 March 2024. Under the Ley por el Derecho a la Vivienda, Autonomous Communities that designate "zonas tensionadas" may cap new-contract rents in those zones at reference-index levels for large landlords. Catalonia was first to apply the rule; uptake elsewhere has been uneven.

Who it affects: Renters and landlords in designated tight-market zones (primarily Catalonia in 2024-2025).

Ministerio de Vivienda y Agenda Urbana ↗ · Boletín Oficial del Estado ↗ · verified 2026-04-21

In force 26 May 2023
In force Housing

Housing Law (Ley 12/2023) creates "tensioned" rental-market zones

Ley por el Derecho a la Vivienda entered force on 26 May 2023. Introduced the "zonas de mercado residencial tensionado" (tensioned residential-market zones), rent-price caps for large landlords in designated zones, and tax incentives for long-term letting. Implementation is opt-in at the autonomous-community level — Catalonia has activated it widely; Madrid has not. Directly affects rental-market dynamics in major Spanish cities.

Who it affects: Tenants and landlords in designated tensioned zones (notably Barcelona).

BOE — Boletín Oficial del Estado (Spanish Official Gazette) ↗ · La Moncloa — Spanish Government ↗ · verified 2026-04-19