European hoteliers against Booking.com with a class action

The Hellenic Chamber of Hotels supports the pan-European class action against Booking.com. This action follows the decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) on 19 September 2024, which ruled that the platform's parity clauses violated EU competition law. This initiative is actively supported by more than 25 national hotelier associations across Europe.

In 2021, Booking.com unilaterally broke off compensation negotiations with the German Hoteliers Association (IHA) and initiated legal proceedings against hundreds of German hotels at the Court of First Instance in Amsterdam. An interim result of this (pending) procedure was the ruling of the Court of Justice of the EU on 19 September 2024, which confirmed the findings of the German Federal Competition Authority that Booking.com’s parity clauses violated European competition law. This has led to the possibility of claiming compensation for hotels across Europe, which is now being pursued through a collective action supported by HOTREC.

Over the past 20 years, parity clauses have put Greek hotels at a serious competitive disadvantage. They restricted price competition between Booking.com and other online platforms, leading hotels to pay increased commissions. In addition, the clauses restricted hotels from offering better prices or availability on their own websites, limiting their direct sales and autonomy.

In short:

Booking.com’s use of anti-competitive parity clauses caused significant financial damage to the country’s hotel industry.

In accordance with the general principles of European competition law, hotels in Greece are entitled to claim compensation from Booking.com for the financial losses they suffered and may be entitled to recover a significant part of the commissions they paid to Booking.com over the period 2004 to 2024, plus interest.

“This is a substantial opportunity for Greek hoteliers to exercise their legal rights and seek redress for the damages they have suffered, while contributing to the formation of a fairer digital environment in the tourism services market,” said the President of the Hellenic Hotel Association, Alexandros Vassilikos.

The case will be managed and supported by a team of specialized and recognized competition lawyers and economists, who have already achieved the ECJ decision on September 19, 2024.

All hotels in Greece are invited and encouraged to register at www.mybookingclaim.com. The Hellenic Hotel Association will send guidelines and detailed information to members on registering on the platform and the required documentation. The deadline for participation is 31 July 2025.

Note:

The 2024 ECJ ruling (Case C-264/23) confirmed that Booking.com’s parity clauses, i.e., contractual terms that prohibited hotels from offering lower prices or better availability through other channels, were in breach of EU competition rules. These clauses led to increased commission rates, a suppression of direct bookings, and a distortion of competition in online bookings.

The legal action is being coordinated by the Stichting Hotel Claims Alliance and will be brought before the courts in the Netherlands, allowing for a uniform and efficient approach to enforcement on a pan-European level.

The action is supported by the national hotelier associations of the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland.

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