SPANISH hotels are gearing up for what could be one of the country’s biggest legal battles against a multinational corporation – and it’s all about controversial pricing rules that may have cost them billions. Here’s everything you need to know about the looming €1 billion lawsuit against Booking.com that’s got the Spanish hospitality industry buzzing. For two decades, Booking.com has forced Spanish hotels to sign contracts containing ‘parity clauses’ – essentially rules that prevented hotels from offering cheaper rates anywhere else, including on their own websites. Last September, the European Court of Justice ruled that these parity clauses could breach competition laws, finding they weren’t necessary or proportionate. Legal firm Eskariam, which is spearheading the collective lawsuit, estimates Andalucian hotels alone could claim around €1 billion.