Italy: Announced AGCM investigation into Booking's alleged abuse of dominant position

On 22 March 2024, the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) opened an investigation into Booking's alleged abuse of its dominant position in the market for online intermediation and booking services. The investigation specifically concerns an alleged breach of Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). The AGCM claimed that Booking is engaging in practices reducing the freedom of Italian hotels to set prices for the online sales channels, which is likely to result in exclusionary effects in the market for online hotel intermediation and booking services.