How digital disruptors influence multilevel governance in the EU: the case of Airbnb in Amsterdam

In Chapter 10, Isabella Bremmers-Carrasco examines the multilevel governance dynamics of the sharing economy, focusing on digital platforms like Airbnb in Amsterdam. The chapter evaluates the challenges and opportunities these platforms create in various regulatory environments, from local to supranational levels. The fast growth of the sharing economy has created political and regulatory challenges, particularly with Airbnb's dominance in local markets, raising concerns about affordable housing. Local authorities, such as those in Amsterdam, have adopted critical stances to mitigate negative effects, while higher governance levels, including the EU, have often supported platform growth. The chapter analyses Airbnb's integration into Amsterdam and its regulatory interactions across governance levels, revealing misalignments in structural, relational, and policy factors from 2016 to 2020. Bremmers-Carrasco highlights the disconnect between Amsterdam's regulatory efforts and EU policies, calling for strategies to better align local initiatives with broader EU objectives, enhancing digital economy governance across Europe.