Canary Islands demand repeal of state vacation‑rental registry

The Canary Islands’ Ministry of Tourism and Employment has formally requested the abolition of the nationwide vacation‑rental registry introduced by the recent State Royal Decree and the new VAU 1560/2025 order. The ministry argues that the measure infringes regional competencies, creates a duplicate registration system, and generates legal uncertainty for property owners.

Background

The request was presented in a press release issued after the Sectorial Tourism Conference held in Madrid. It aligns with the long‑standing demands of the owners’ association ASCAV and other stakeholder groups, who have repeatedly criticised the compulsory registration.

Registration Statistics

According to the Ministry of Industry and Tourism, 415,000 unique rental identifiers are currently listed on online platforms. However, only 27,700 owners have completed the required filing and deposited the previous year’s rental record. The deadline for compliance is 2 March; owners who miss the deadline will be automatically deregistered and will have to pay a new fee to reactivate their listings.

Government Position

Tourism and Employment Minister Jéssica de León conveyed the request to Minister Jordi Hereu and State Secretary Rosario Sánchez, emphasizing that the European Regulation applies directly and does not require an additional Spanish decree.

“The European Regulation is directly applicable; a decree from the Spanish Government is unnecessary and has created a bubble in the Autonomous Communities with this double registration. What is legal for the Canary Islands is not legal for the Housing and Tourism Ministries. Neither the Canary Islands can deregister properties in the General Tourism Registry, nor can the Ministry allow them to be marketed,” she said.

De León added that the Canary Islands have been unable to connect to the digital single‑window rental portal due to technical issues. She also noted that the regional government has appealed the State Decree before the Supreme Court, arguing that it creates a double registration and leaves owners defenseless, as properties legal in the Canary Islands become illegal under the national registrars.

Criticism of the Measure

De León highlighted that the decree was adopted without consensus from the Autonomous Communities and that the European Commission has voiced opposition, citing a breach of the European Regulation. She warned that the requirement would disproportionately affect the green islands, where many owners could be excluded from rental platforms if they fail to meet the deadline.

In the same statement, the minister lamented that the Sectorial Conference was convened after more than two years of inactivity and criticized the management of Next Generation EU funds:

“The flexibility to manage these funds arrives too late; it should have been implemented at least a year ago,” she remarked, questioning whether the measure truly improves execution.

Call for Greater Investment

Finally, De León reproached the lack of state investment in transport and connectivity infrastructure and reiterated the need to comply with the Economic and Fiscal Regime, which mandates a dedicated line for tourism infrastructure in the General State Budget.

The ministry’s appeal underscores ongoing tensions between regional autonomy and national policy in the regulation of Spain’s booming vacation‑rental market.