110 hotel operators from Romania, representing over 200 hotels, have already joined the European collective process against the Booking.com platform, accused of price fixing and imposing abusive commissions.
The hoteliers are seeking compensation for the losses caused by the price parity clause, which prohibited them for 20 years from offering lower rates on their own websites compared to those displayed on Booking.com.
The collective process is supported by the Romanian Hotel Industry Federation (FIHR) and coordinated by the Stichting Hotel Claims Alliance, with participation from over 10,000 hotels across Europe. The legal action takes place in the Netherlands, where the central headquarters of Booking.com is located.
FIHR announced that it is joining the action on behalf of the hospitality industry in Romania, after the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled in September 2024 that the respective clauses are illegal and contrary to competition rules, writes Economedia.
Until August 29, hotels in Romania can still join the legal action.
Simona Constantinescu, the president of FIHR, emphasized that this is "a unique opportunity" to recover significant amounts and to support a fair digital market.
In total, the requested compensations target excessive commissions, losses from direct bookings, and the limitation of commercial autonomy, from 2004 to 2024. The action is also supported by other hotel organizations in Europe, including those from Germany and Italy.