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EU competition law: AG Collins in Case C‑264/23 finds OTA price parity clauses not ancillary restraints under Article 101 TFEU; market definition and VABER guidance

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Case facts

Outline

A national reference from the Netherlands asks whether broad and narrow parity clauses qualify as an ancillary restraint for the purposes of Article 101(1) TFEU. It seeks clarification from the referring court on that issue.

Latest developments

On 6 June 2024, Advocate General Collins delivered his opinion, suggesting that Article 101(1) TFEU should be read as indicating that wide and narrow price parity obligations an online travel agent (OTA) seeks to place on hotels through its terms of business are not ancillary restraints, unless they are necessary and proportionate to preserve the OTA’s economic viability; that inquiry is for the referring court, without prejudice to any assessment under Article 101(3) TFEU.

Parties

Applicants:

  • Booking.com BV
  • Booking.com (Deutschland) GmbH

Defendants:

  • 25hours Hotel Company Berlin GmbH and Others

Markets

Online travel agents.

Background to reference

Background

Booking.com BV, a company established in 1996 in the Netherlands, operates an online hotel reservation platform bearing the same name. Booking.com serves as an intermediary between hotel service suppliers and end customers. It does not determine the price at which hotel rooms are listed on its platform. End customers are not charged a fee to use Booking.com...

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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