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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2021
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES Competition and Consumer Protection Reviews At times, online platforms, including online travel platforms, have been the subject of investigations or inquiries by various national competition authorities ("NCAs") or other governmental authorities regarding competition law matters, consumer protection issues or other areas of concern. The Company is and has been involved in many such investigations. For example, the Company has been and continues to be involved in investigations related to whether Booking.com's contractual parity arrangements with accommodation providers, sometimes also referred to as "most favored nation" or "MFN" provisions, are anti-competitive because they require accommodation providers to provide Booking.com with room rates, conditions or availability that are at least as favorable as those offered to other online travel companies ("OTCs") or through the accommodation provider's website. To resolve and close certain of the investigations, the Company has from time to time made commitments to the investigating authorities regarding future business practices or activities. For example, Booking.com has made commitments to several NCAs, including agreeing to narrow the scope of its parity clauses, in order to resolve parity-related investigations. These investigations can also result in fines and the Company had accrued liabilities of 14 million Euros ($17 million) and 18 million Euros ($23 million), for potential fines associated with its contractual parity arrangements, included in "Accrued expenses and other current liabilities" in the Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively. In addition, in September 2017, the Swiss Price Surveillance Office opened an investigation into the level of commissions of Booking.com in Switzerland and the investigation is ongoing. If there is an adverse outcome and Booking.com is unsuccessful in any appeal, Booking.com could be required to reduce its commissions in Switzerland. Some authorities are reviewing the online hotel booking sector more generally through market inquiries and the Company cannot predict the outcome of such inquiries or any resulting impact on its business, results of operations, cash flows or financial condition. NCAs or other governmental authorities are continuing to review the activities of online platforms, including through the use of consumer protection powers. For example, the United Kingdom's NCA (the Competition and Markets Authority, or CMA) conducted a consumer protection law investigation into the clarity, accuracy and presentation of information on hotel booking sites. In connection with this investigation, in 2019, Booking.com, agoda and KAYAK, along with a number of other OTCs, voluntarily agreed to certain commitments with the CMA, which resolved the CMA's investigation without a finding by the CMA of an infringement or an admission of wrongdoing by the OTCs involved. Among other things, the commitments provided to the CMA included showing prices inclusive of all mandatory taxes and charges, providing information about the effect of money earned on search result rankings on or before the search results page and making certain adjustments to how discounts and statements concerning popularity or availability are shown to consumers. The CMA stated that it expects all participants in the online travel market to adhere to the same standards, regardless of whether they formally signed the commitments. As a result of additional inquiries from other NCAs in the European Union, Booking.com has made similar commitments with the Consumer Protection Cooperation Network that became applicable in the European Union in June 2020. In the future, it is possible other jurisdictions could engage Booking.com in discussions to implement similar changes to its business in those countries. The Company is unable to predict what, if any, effect any future similar commitments will have on its business, industry practices or online commerce more generally. To the extent that any other investigations or inquiries result in additional commitments, fines, damages or other remedies, the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations could be harmed. The Company is involved in multiple litigations in Israel claiming that it has violated Israeli consumer protection and competition laws. For example, one such lawsuit alleges that the Company violated Israeli consumer protection laws by failing to properly display Israeli local taxes in the total prices shown to Israeli residents on its platform. Another lawsuit claims that the Company's parity contractual terms with partners violate Israeli competition laws because they are anti-competitive. A third example of these lawsuits claims Israeli consumer protection laws prohibit the Company from facilitating non-refundable bookings to Israeli residents. Each of the plaintiffs in these various matters is requesting certification of a class and the Company is defending against class certification. If the court were to grant class certification for any of these matters and if the plaintiffs were successful on the merits of the claims, the Company could be required to pay damages. However, the Company cannot reasonably estimate the amount of such potential damages because there are several unknown variables in each case at this early stage, including the likelihood of class certification, the size of any potential class and the likelihood of success of the merits of the claims. A German hotel association has initiated a class action lawsuit against Booking.com in Germany on behalf of a group of German hotels that alleges that the hotels overpaid commissions to Booking.com because of wide parity terms in the contracts between the hotels and Booking.com between 2006 and 2015. Booking.com is pursuing court proceedings in the Netherlands to declare that the Netherlands is the proper forum for this matter. Although the Company believes the claim to be without merit and intends to defend against the claim, if the hotel association were successful in its litigation and the Company were required to pay damages, the amount could be significant. The Company cannot reasonably estimate an amount of potential loss because there are several unknown variables at this early stage. The Company is unable to predict how any current or future investigations or litigation may be resolved or the long-term impact of any such resolution on its business. For example, competition and consumer-law-related investigations, legislation or issues have and could in the future result in private litigation. More immediate results could include, among other things, the imposition of fines, commitments to change certain business practices or reputational damage, any of which could harm the Company's business, results of operations, brands or competitive position. Tax Matters French tax authorities conducted audits of Booking.com for the years 2003 through 2012 and years 2013 through 2015 and currently are conducting an audit for the years 2016 through 2018. In December 2015, the French tax authorities issued Booking.com assessments for unpaid income and value added taxes ("VAT") related to tax years 2006 through 2012 for approximately 356 million Euros ($403 million), the majority of which represents penalties and interest. The assessments assert that Booking.com had a permanent establishment in France. In December 2019, the French tax authorities issued an additional assessment of 70 million Euros ($81 million), including interest and penalties, for the 2013 tax year asserting that Booking.com had taxable income attributable to a permanent establishment in France. The French tax authorities also have issued assessments totaling 39 million Euros ($45 million), including interest and penalties, for certain tax years between 2011 and 2015 on Booking.com's French subsidiary asserting that the subsidiary did not receive sufficient compensation for the services it rendered to Booking.com in the Netherlands. As a result of a formal demand from the French tax authorities for payment of the amounts assessed against Booking.com for the years 2006 through 2012, in January 2019, the Company paid the assessments of approximately 356 million Euros ($403 million) in order to preserve its right to contest those assessments in court. The payment, which is included in "Other assets, net" in the Consolidated Balance Sheets at September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, does not constitute an admission that the Company owes the taxes and will be refunded (with interest) to the Company to the extent the Company prevails. In December 2019 and October 2020, the Company initiated court proceedings with respect to certain of the assessments. Although the Company believes that Booking.com has been, and continues to be, in compliance with French tax law, and the Company is contesting the assessments, during the three months ended September 30, 2020, the Company contacted the French tax authorities regarding the potential to achieve resolution of the matter through a settlement. After assessing several potential outcomes and potential settlement amounts and terms, an unrecognized tax benefit in the amount of 50 million Euros ($59 million) was recorded during the year ended December 31, 2020, of which the majority was included as a partial reduction to the tax payment recorded in "Other assets, net" in the Consolidated Balance Sheets at September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020. In December 2020, the French Administrative Court (Conseil d’Etat) delivered a decision in the "ValueClick" case that could have an impact on the outcome in the Company's case. After considering the potential adverse impact of the new decision on the potential outcomes for the Booking.com assessments, the Company currently estimates that the reasonably possible loss related to VAT is approximately 20 million Euros ($23 million). Additional assessments could result when the French tax authorities complete the outstanding audits. In December 2018 and December 2019, the Italian tax authorities issued assessments on Booking.com's Italian subsidiary for approximately 48 million Euros ($55 million) for the 2013 tax year and 58 million Euros ($67 million) for the 2014 tax year asserting that its transfer pricing policies were inadequate. The Company believes Booking.com has been and continues to be in compliance with Italian tax law. In September 2020, the Italian tax authorities approved the opening of a Mutual Agreement Procedure ("MAP") between Italy and the Netherlands for the 2013 tax year and Booking.com has submitted a request that the 2014 tax year be added to the MAP. Based on the possibility of the 2013 and 2014 Italian assessments being settled through the MAP process, and, after considering potential resolution amounts, a net unrecognized tax benefit amount of 4 million Euros ($5 million) was recorded during the three months ended September 30, 2020. In March 2021, the Italian authorities issued assessments on Booking.com’s Italian subsidiary for approximately 31 million Euros ($37 million) for the 2015 tax year, again asserting that its transfer pricing policies were inadequate. Based on the Company’s expectation that the Italian assessments for 2013, 2014, 2015 and any transfer pricing assessments received for subsequent open years will be settled through the MAP process, and after considering potential resolution amounts, an additional net unrecognized tax benefit of 13 million Euros ($16 million) was recorded during the three months ended March 31, 2021. In August 2021, the Italian tax authorities issued a transfer pricing assessment on Booking.com’s Italian subsidiary for approximately 114 million Euros ($132 million) for the periods 2016-2018. The Company intends to submit a request that the 2016-2018 assessment be added to the MAP. Because the unrecognized tax benefit recorded during the three months ended March 31, 2021 already reflected consideration of potential resolution amounts for Italian transfer pricing assessments for all open tax years, including 2016-2018, no additional unrecognized tax benefit has been recorded during the three months ended September 30, 2021. In December 2019, the Company paid 10 million Euros ($11 million) as a partial prepayment of the 2013 assessment to avoid any collection enforcement from the Italian tax authorities pending the appeal phase of the case. The payment, which is included in "Other assets, net" in the Consolidated Balance Sheets at September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, does not constitute an admission that the Company owes the taxes and will be refunded (with interest) to the Company to the extent that the Company prevails. A total of 5 million Euros ($6 million) of the net unrecognized tax benefits recorded during the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and the year ended December 31, 2020 has been included as a partial reduction to the tax payment recorded in "Other assets, net" in the Consolidated Balance Sheets at September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020. Similarly, the Company expects to be required to make prepayment deposits or provide bank guarantees of approximately 60 million Euros ($70 million), which is equal to one-third of the interest and taxes for the 2014, 2015 and 2016-2018 assessments to avoid any collection enforcement from the Italian tax authorities pending the MAP proceedings. In June 2021, the investigative arm of the Italian tax authorities issued a Tax Audit Report for the 2013 through 2019 Italian VAT audit. While the Tax Audit Report does not constitute a formal tax assessment, it recommends that an assessment of 154 million Euros ($178 million), plus interest and penalties, should be made on Booking.com BV for VAT related to commissions charged to certain Italian accommodation providers. The Company believes that Booking.com has been, and continues to be, in compliance with Italian and EU VAT laws and the Company has not recorded any liability in connection with the Tax Audit Report. It is unclear what further actions, if any, the Italian authorities will take with respect to the VAT audit for the periods 2013 through 2019. Such actions could include closing the investigation, assessing Booking.com additional taxes and/or imposing interest, fines, penalties or criminal proceedings. In 2018 and 2019, Turkish tax authorities asserted that Booking.com has a permanent establishment in Turkey and have issued tax assessments for the years 2012 through 2018 for approximately 801 million Turkish Lira ($90 million), which includes interest and penalties through September 30, 2021. The Company believes that Booking.com has been, and continues to be, in compliance with Turkish tax law, and the Company is contesting these assessments. The Company has not recorded a liability in connection with these assessments. In September 2021, the Swiss tax authorities issued an assessment for the amount of approximately 50 million Swiss Francs ($54 million), for VAT related to commissions charged to Swiss accommodation providers for the years 2015 through 2020. The Company believes that Booking.com has been, and continues to be, in compliance with Swiss VAT laws and the Company is contesting the assessment. The Company has not recorded any liability in connection with the assessment. In October 2021, Booking.com BV received a notice of proposed assessment of approximately $20 million from the state of Hawaii for the tax years 2010 to 2020. The notice of proposed assessment asserts that Booking.com BV is subject to Hawaii's general excise tax. The Company believes that Booking.com has been, and continues to be, in compliance with Hawaii state tax law, and the Company is contesting this assessment. The Company has not recorded a liability in connection with this assessment. As a result of an internal review of tax policies and positions at one of the Company's smaller subsidiaries in 2018, the Company identified two issues related to the application of certain non-income-based tax laws to that subsidiary's business. At September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the Company had accrued $54 million and $59 million, respectively, related to these travel transaction taxes, based on the Company's estimate of the probable travel transaction tax owed for the prior periods, including interest and penalties, as applicable. The related expenses are included in "General and administrative" expense in the Unaudited Consolidated Statements of Operations. The Company currently estimates that the reasonably possible loss related to these matters in excess of the amount accrued is approximately $20 million. To the extent the Company determines that the probable taxes owed related to these matters exceed what has already been accrued or new issues are identified, the Company may need to accrue additional amounts, which could adversely affect the Company’s business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. From time to time, the Company is involved in other tax-related audits, investigations or proceedings, which could relate to income taxes, value-added taxes, sales taxes, employment taxes, etc. For example, the Company is subject to legal proceedings in the United States related to travel transaction taxes (e.g., hotel occupancy taxes, sales taxes, etc.). In May 2021, Clark County, Nevada filed a suit against the Company and other third-party OTCs alleging an underpayment of hotel occupancy taxes. The Company believes that the tax laws at issue do not apply to the services it provides, and, therefore, that it does not owe the taxes alleged to be owed. Although the Company intends to defend itself against the lawsuit, if there was an adverse outcome in this litigation, it could result in liabilities for past and/or future bookings, and it is unknown whether the liability would include interest, penalties, punitive damages and/or attorney’s fees and costs. At this early stage the Company cannot reasonably estimate the amount of any potential loss or range of loss. Any taxes or other assessments in excess of the Company's current tax provisions, whether in connection with the foregoing or otherwise (including the resolution of any tax proceedings), could have a materially adverse impact on the Company's results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. Other Matters Beginning in 2014, Booking.com received several letters from the Netherlands Pension Fund for the Travel Industry (Reiswerk) ("BPF") claiming that Booking.com is required to participate in the mandatory pension scheme of the BPF with retroactive effect to 1999, which has a higher contribution rate than the pension scheme in which Booking.com is currently participating. BPF instituted legal proceedings against Booking.com and in 2016 the District Court of Amsterdam rejected all of BPF’s claims. BPF appealed the decision to the Court of Appeal, and, in May 2019, the Court of Appeal also rejected all of BPF’s claims, in each case by ruling that Booking.com does not meet the definition of a travel intermediary for purposes of the mandatory pension scheme. BPF then appealed to the Netherlands Supreme Court. In April 2021, the Supreme Court overturned the previous decision of the Court of Appeal and held that Booking.com meets the definition of a travel intermediary for the purposes of the mandatory pension scheme. The Supreme Court ruled only on the qualification of Booking.com as a travel intermediary for the purposes of the mandatory pension scheme, and did not rule on the various other defenses brought forward by the Company against BPF's claims. The Supreme Court referred the matter to another Court of Appeal that will have to assess the other defenses brought forward by the Company if BPF were to proceed with the litigation. The Company intends to pursue a number of defenses in any subsequent proceedings and may ultimately prevail in whole or in part. While the Company continues to believe that Booking.com is in compliance with its pension obligations and that the Court of Appeal could ultimately rule in favor of Booking.com, given the Supreme Court’s decision, the Company believes it is probable that it has incurred a loss related to this matter. The Company is not able to reasonably estimate a loss or a range of loss because there are significant factual and legal questions yet to be determined in any subsequent proceedings. As a result, as of September 30, 2021, the Company has not recorded a liability in connection with a potential adverse ultimate outcome to this litigation. However, if Booking.com were to ultimately lose and all of BPF’s claims were to be accepted (including with retroactive effect to 1999), the Company estimates that as of September 30, 2021, the maximum loss, not including any potential interest or penalties, would be approximately 278 million Euros ($322 million). Such estimated potential loss increases as Booking.com continues not to contribute to the BPF and depends on Booking.com's applicable employee compensation after September 30, 2021. From time to time the Company notifies data protection authorities in various jurisdictions in accordance with its obligations under applicable data protection regulations, including its notification obligations of certain incidental and accidental personal data security incidents to the Dutch data protection authority in accordance with the E.U. General Data Protection Regulation. Although the Company believes it has fulfilled its data protection regulatory obligations including those to the Dutch data protection authority, should any data protection authority decide these incidents were the result of inadequate technical and organizational security measures, such authority could decide to impose a fine. While the Company believes that any fine imposed on it relating to such obligations would be immaterial, the Company estimates that if a fine were imposed by the Dutch data protection authority, it could range from a de minimis amount to 20 million Euros ($23 million) per incident, depending on the Dutch data protection authority’s evaluation of the facts and circumstances associated with the incident after investigation. The Company's alternative accommodation reservation business is subject to various laws, rules and regulations. These laws, rules and regulations are complex, vary by jurisdiction and their interpretation is rapidly evolving. From time to time, the Company is subject to inquiries related to compliance with alternative accommodation laws, rules and regulations that it may or may not be able to respond to in a timely manner or in full satisfaction of such requests. The outcome of such inquiries has resulted in fines and could require modifications to the Company’s business plans or operations, which could result in increased legal and compliance costs. As governments adopt new laws, rules and regulations related to alternative accommodations, the Company is unable to predict what, if any, effect any such future laws, rules and regulations will have on its business. The Company accrues for certain legal contingencies where it is probable that a loss has been incurred and the amount can be reasonably estimated. Such accrued amounts are not material to the Company's balance sheets and provisions recorded have not been material to the Company's results of operations or cash flows. From time to time, the Company has been, is currently, and expects to continue to be, subject to legal proceedings and claims in the ordinary course of business, including claims of alleged infringement of third-party intellectual property rights. Such claims, even if not meritorious, could result in the expenditure of significant financial and managerial resources, divert management's attention from the Company's business objectives and adversely affect the Company's business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. Building Construction In September 2016, the Company signed a turnkey agreement to construct an office building for Booking.com's future headquarters in the Netherlands for 270 million Euros ($313 million). Upon signing this agreement, the Company paid 43 million Euros ($48 million) for the acquired land-use rights, which was included in "Operating lease assets" in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. In addition, since signing the turnkey agreement the Company has made several progress payments principally related to the construction of the building, which are included in "Property and equipment, net" in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of September 30, 2021, the Company had a remaining obligation of 22 million Euros ($25 million) related to the turnkey agreement, which will be paid through 2022, when the Company anticipates construction will be complete. In addition to the turnkey agreement, the Company has a remaining obligation at September 30, 2021 to pay 69 million Euros ($79 million) over the remaining initial term of the acquired land lease, which expires in 2065. The Company has made and will continue to make additional capital expenditures to fit out and furnish the office space. At September 30, 2021, the Company had 27 million Euros ($31 million) of outstanding commitments to vendors to fit out and furnish the office space. Other Contractual Obligations In 2018, the Company entered into an agreement to sign a future lease for office space in Manchester, United Kingdom for the future headquarters of Rentalcars.com, whereby the Company's obligation to execute the lease was conditional upon the lessor completing certain activities. The lease commenced in October 2021, with modifications to certain terms and conditions of the 2018 agreement, for a term of approximately 13 years with a lease payment obligation of approximately 52 million British Pounds Sterling ($71 million), excluding lease incentives. In addition to its obligations under the lease, the Company will also make capital expenditures to fit out and furnish the office space.

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