The Greek Competition Authority will convene on December 28, 2026, to assess whether Booking.com B.V. has violated competition laws regarding the abuse of its dominant position in the online travel agency market.

This investigation was initiated following a complaint and involves examining Booking.com's practices in providing online mediation services for hotel bookings through OTAs. The authority is particularly focused on potential violations of Articles 2 of Law 3959/2011 and Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

Research measures have been implemented across domestic and international OTAs and hotel accommodations throughout Greece. Preliminary findings indicate serious concerns that Booking.com may be exploiting its dominant position through a series of practices that could exclude competing OTAs from entering or expanding in the Greek market.

These practices include the Default Ranking Mechanism, the Recommended Accommodations Program, and the Booking Sponsored Benefit program. It is estimated that these mechanisms incentivize hotel accommodations to offer better prices and terms through Booking.com compared to third-party OTA platforms.

Furthermore, through the Booking Sponsored Benefit program, Booking.com unilaterally reduces hotel prices to ensure that rooms are available on its platform under the most favorable terms. Collectively, these practices are believed to harm third-party OTAs and fall under the scope of the aforementioned competition laws.

Following extensive preparatory meetings with relevant officials, Booking.com proposed commitments to cease the alleged violations. The authority has consulted on these commitments, which concluded in July 2026.

The authority's report suggests that the proposed commitments could effectively restore competitive conditions in the market and address the competition concerns permanently.

The authority will evaluate whether Booking.com's proposed commitments align with the terms and conditions for acceptance regarding the identified competition issues. The report is not binding, and the authority will make its decision based on the process data and the parties' views.