European Commission blocks Booking’s planned acquisition of Etraveli

Booking’s brands include Booking.com, Rentalcars, Priceline and Agoda (Alamy/PA)

The European Union’s executive arm said on Monday it is blocking leading US online travel agency Booking from acquiring Sweden’s flight booking provider Etraveli Group, because it would have allowed it to increase its dominant position on the market on the continent.

The European Commission said it had warned Booking Holdings about its concerns, but that the remedies offered by the company were not sufficient.