The Commission proposals require platforms to ensure objective and more transparent procedures when setting their terms and conditions for business users and redress mechanisms; as well as providing more transparency regarding rankings and scrutiny of complaint handling.
UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “Digital platforms and the digital economy has evolved enormously in a very short space of time and, in many cases, regulation has failed to keep pace. This proposal from the Commission is a good first step in ensuring that there is transparency for businesses and customers.
“All too often, SMEs find themselves at a disadvantage, so we welcome efforts to level the playing field. This is something that UKHospitality has been rigorously pushing for: across Europe through HOTREC and in the UK. We will continue to fight to ensure that SMEs, and larger businesses that can also find themselves at a disadvantage, are able to operate in a fair environment.
“Competition authorities in other countries, such as Germany are taking a proactive approach to legislation regarding online platforms to safeguard transparency and flexibility. We are urging the UK Government and the CMA to take a similar approach to the issue so that UK businesses do not find themselves at a disadvantage.”