NL to allow, regulate Airbnb, Uber

In order to give share economy companies such as Airbnb and Uber a chance on the Dutch market, the government will have to amend the rules or bring in new ones, and abolish those that stand in the way of these companies, MPs say. It must also be handled in such a way as to not stand in the way of existing market competitors, however, De Volkskrant report. MPs in The Hague say that these companies bring in supply and demand in an innovative manner, and to ban Uber and Airbnb, for example, should not happen. MP for the D66, Kees Verhoeven, says that these new competitors will actually be healthy for the market, and consumers will get more choice. Verhoeven does say that lack of rules for these companies operating in a digital society should help to control them better, and will make them legitimate competitors for, for example, hotels and traditional taxi companies, who are currently complaining that these new companies work in such a manner that it makes it impossible to compete. Mei Li Vos, MP for the PvdA, argues that there needs to be a certain level of liability taken by the company owners. "Airbnb would be worth around €7 billion. The couple of clever Americans that founded it are getting very rich, but don't run any risk. Someone who rents out his Amsterdam apartment via Airbnb does run the risk", Vos says. Members of Parliament are in favor of allowing these innovative companies into the market, however. Minister Kamp of Economic Affairs believes that they bring supply and demand together more simply. As long as they keep to the rules.