European Commission strengthens regulations on Booking.com.
Keeping in mind the casual and engaging tone, the paraphrased story would be:
Booking.com, once a major player in the accommodation booking platform segment, is set to experience stricter EU regulations in the near future following a decision made by the European Commission. As a result, it will need to offer more choices and freedom for its customers.
Due to its significant market dominance, Booking.com is among the large digital groups that have fallen under the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA). The EU wants to restrict the market power of such digital entities through this legislation. The platform will be required to establish fairer conditions for hotel and vacation apartment providers.
In the future, Booking.com customers can expect a broader range of options, including increased flexibility in booking and cancellation terms. The Amsterdam-based firm had anticipated this decision, and it plans on working cooperatively with the Commission to reach a compliant state.
EU Digital Commissioner Thierry Breton views Booking.com as "an important player" in the European tourism industry and has vowed to ensure it abides by the DMA obligations. The company has six months to do so and must submit a detailed report to the Commission.
The EU Commission is also scrutinizing the online service X. The service argues that it has no particular market control, despite its massive user base, because other alternatives such as Threads and Mastodon are at hand.
The DMA is part of Brussels' plan to contain the power of internet gatekeepers. It regulates tech giants like Google's parent company Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Tiktok owner ByteDance, and Meta. Google, for example, is no longer allowed to prioritize its own services in its search results, while Apple must welcome alternate apps to its App Store. Violations of these rules could land companies with penalties equalling up to ten percent of their global annual revenue, with the EU Commission even opting for company break-ups as an extreme measure. Legal proceedings against Apple, Google, and Meta are currently underway, all stemming from alleged breaches of the new regulations.
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The tech giants Alphabet Inc. (Google's parent company) and Meta Platforms (Facebook's parent company) are also subject to the EU Commission's scrutiny under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). They must adhere to the rules that prohibit prioritizing their own services and welcome alternative apps, respectively, to avoid penalties.
Microsoft, a global leader in technology, has also experienced similar regulations, with Microsoft Windows being required to accommodate third-party applications to stay compliant.
Amazon, like its tech peers, must ensure efficient competition within its marketplace, following the EU Commission's guidelines under the DMA. This includes avoiding favoritism towards its own products and services.
Source: www.ntv.de
