Industry Coalition Urges EU to Enforce Digital Markets Act on Google Search

HOTREC and other industry stakeholders have issued a joint statement urging the European Commission to enforce Article 6(5) of the Digital Markets Act with respect to Google Search.

HOTREC has joined a coalition of industry stakeholders from the airline, hospitality, and rail sectors in a joint statement marking two years since the European Commission opened proceedings against Alphabet for non-compliance with Article 6(5) of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) related to Google Search. More than three years after the DMA entered into force, the coalition states that meaningful compliance remains lacking.

The coalition notes that despite ongoing dialogue and multiple rounds of proposals, businesses and consumers across Europe, including thousands of small and medium-sized hospitality enterprises, continue to face uncertainty, reduced visibility, and unclear timelines for effective solutions. The DMA was established to restore fairness and contestability in digital markets. The coalition recognizes the European Commission’s preliminary findings as an important step but calls for further enforcement actions.

The joint statement urges the European Commission to ensure swift and effective enforcement of Article 6(5) of the DMA, align remedial actions with the Commission’s preliminary findings and the law’s objectives, and secure compliance solutions that improve visibility, choice, and fairness for all market participants.

Effective enforcement of the DMA is described as vital for Europe’s hospitality sector, which depends on fair online visibility and equitable access to digital platforms. The coalition states that a level playing field would strengthen consumer trust, support competitiveness, and enable hospitality businesses to reach customers on fair terms.