EU investigation: Meliá fined €6.7m for entering into agreements that restricted active and passive sales for hotel accommodation

Article summary

On 21 February 2020, the European Commission issued its infringement decision against Meliá Hotel International S.A., for including restrictive clauses in its agreements with tour operators Kunoni, REWE, Thomas Cook and TUI, in breach of Article 101 TFEU. In particular, the Commission found that, in 2014 and 2015, Meliá entered into a large number of agreements with the tour operators that restricted active and passive sales for hotel accommodation. In relation to the proceedings opened in 2017 against the four tour operators (Cases AT.40524, AT.40525, AT.40525 and AT.40527), the Commission has decided, following assessment of the evidence and the circumstances of the case, to close the cases.