Czech Competition Authority fines Booking.com
Following an inquiry into vertical aspects of online platforms and distribution channels, the Czech Office for the Protection of Economic Competition recently found that online travel agency (OTA) Booking.com had included most-favoured-nation (MFN) clauses in its agreements with hotels in the Czech Republic between 1 May 2009 and 30 June 2015. According to the Office, these clauses distorted competition on the Czech online booking platform market for hotels and possibly also other EU countries and therefore constituted a breach of Czech competition law. The Office imposed a fine of CZK 8.3 million.