EU Court Upholds Block on Booking-Etraveli Deal, Expands Merger Review Reach

The European Court of Justice confirmed the European Commission's prohibition of Booking's acquisition of Etraveli, validating the Commission's expansive interpretation of its jurisdiction to review mergers with effects in EU markets even if the parties are not EU-based. This sets a precedent for broader regulatory scrutiny of tech acquisitions, potentially deterring future deals and impacting cross-border M&A activity.