V. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESTAURANT CLASSIFICATION IN TOURISM LAW The coexistence of these two models reveals the fragmented landscape of quality governance in Europe’s hospitality sector. Traditional guides such as Michelin or Gault & Millau continue to draw authority from symbolic capital and exclusivity, projecting credibility through reputation and tradition. Digital platforms, by comparison, generate value through algorithmic mediation and collective participation, turning visibility into a form of currency. Neither framework constitutes a public-law classification, yet both shape market access, consumer perception and reputational capital, thereby creating their own form of regulation of quality and exposure. From a theoretical perspective, the Michelin model reflects a form of predigital private authority, whereas platforms such as TripAdvisor or Google embody a new type of algorithmic authority, one that is bound by legal duties of transparency and accountability according to the DSA. This evolution from private discretion to regulated transparency represents a significant turning point in the governance of restaurant quality within the European Union. VI. STANDARDS, CERTIFICATION AND INTEROPERABILITY: USING EUROPEAN STANDARDIZATION LAW WITHOUT OVERREACH The use of standardisation can strengthen the credibility and interoperability of restaurant quality schemes, but only if participation remains voluntary and the process transparent. Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012 provides the legal framework for European standardisation system through CEN, CENELEC and ETSI, while recognising the complementary role of national bodies such as Portugal’s IPQ. Public authorities may refer to standards when designing voluntary quality labels or setting public procurement criteria. However, they should avoid transforming such standards into hidden regulatory requirements unless this can be objectively justified under the Services Directive and shown to comply with the CJEU free-movement jursprudence. At the level of tourism destinations, the European Commission’s European Tourism Indicator System (ETIS) provides a voluntary reference framework for monitoring sustainability. It enables local authorities to evaluate and report performance without imposing obligations on individual establishments. 611 RESTAURANT CLASSIFICATION IN TOURISM
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