Online Booking Platforms and EU Competition Law in the Wake of the German Bundeskartellamt's Booking.com Infringement Decision

摘要

1. Price-parity clauses in hotel platform agreements have increasingly captured the attention of national competition authorities. 2. In a recent decision, the German Federal Cartel Office has taken a stricter stance under Article 101(3) TFEU, leading to different outcomes in the same case across the EU. 3. The decision demonstrates the possible need for the Commission to use its powers under Article 11(6) of Regulation 1/2003. 4. The ongoing proceedings into hotel platform Expedia may even further challenge a uniform application of EU competition law within the European Network of Competition Authorities.