European hotels sue Booking.com over pricing rules

Hotel societies have started from more than 25 European countries in a large -scale legal case against Booking.com traveling platform, which challenges their use of the terms of parity in prices that were claimed to restrict the enlarged commission fees.

The coordinated lawsuit follows a recent ruling issued by the European Court of Justice (ECJ), which considered these items illegal under the competition law in the European Union.

Since the early first decade of the twentieth century, Booking.com has imposed contractual conditions known as the conditions of parity in the rate. These provisions prevented hotels from providing lower prices on their websites or other distribution channels, forcing them effectively to maintain uniform prices on the platform.

Hotels argue that this practice limited their independence, and raised operating costs through high commissions and pent -up price competition.

ECJ’s ruling on September 19, 2024 confirmed that these items have completed the European competition regulations by restricting fair competition and smaller independent hotels.

The court found that Booking.com policies hindered the transparency of pricing and the choice of the consumer, which paves the way to take collective legal measures.

The lawsuit includes national hotels from Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lychenstein, Lithuana, Luxembourg, Nethars, Nurwai, Poland, Roth, Rothka Romania, Romania. Switzerland.

This widespread alliance reflects the widespread impact of platform pricing practices throughout the continent.

A legal body has been established to coordinate claims, where the Netherlands were chosen as the judicial jurisdiction of the central procedures. The qualified hotels that prompted commissions to Booking.com between 2004 and 2024 can join the collective procedure through registration through a simplified legal platform.

This process aims to reduce litigation costs and facilitate compensation claims to obtain excess commission fees in addition to a due benefit.

This legal procedure highlights the increasing concerns about the market force of online travel agencies and digital platforms in the hospitality sector.

By challenging restrictions, hotels seek to regain control of their pricing strategies and improve competitiveness.

Industry representatives emphasize that the fair competition between the reservation channels benefit from consumers and service providers by enhancing transparency and innovation.

ECJ decision and subsequent case may affect other digital markets that use similar restrictions for pricing.

Organizers all over Europe audit platform practices to ensure compliance with competition laws and enhance a more balanced digital economy.

With the European hospitality industry recovered from recent turmoil, the result of this issue can be determined by a great precedent.

It emphasizes the importance of protecting independent companies from anti -competition agreements and ensuring fair conditions in the online hotel reservation markets.

“European Hotels Sue Booking.com on the bases of pricing” were originally created and published by Network Management Network, a brand owned by Globaldata.

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