Skift Take
As with privacy concerns, the European Union is ahead of the U.S. when it comes to regulating digital platforms such as Google. European online travel companies aren't satisfied with Google's changes — but hotels think they go too far.
The European Union's Digital Markets Act, designed to ensure fair competition and protect consumers, became effective Thursday, and the EU Travel Tech association claimed Google is not complying with the new law.
EU Travel Tech members include Airbnb, Amadeus, Booking.com, eDreams Odigeo, Expedia Group, Skyscanner and Travelport.
"Google continues to self-preference its own intermediation services on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP)," the group wrote in a letter Wednesday to Margrethe Vestager, the commission's antitrust czar, and Thierry Breton, commissioner for Internal Market, European Commission.
The group claims in the letter that Google's own products for hotels, flights and other travel services are "more prominent, interactive and rich" than competitors' products. "Organic search results are moving further away from view, while the page is filled with Google-owned content. This leads to a poorer experience and less choice for users."
Google has changed the way it displays search results in Europe in recent months to meet the new law's requirements, but the trade group said