Airbnb is not an estate agent, EU court rules

The accommodation-booking service Airbnb does not need an estate agent’s licence to operate in France, Europe’s top court has ruled.

The French tourism association had complained that Airbnb did not comply with French property laws.

But the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled that Airbnb was an “information society service” rather than a property broker.

Airbnb said it would “move forward and continue working with cities”.