A taxi line in Berlin, Germany. Till Krech / Flickr
Uber Technologies Inc. said German transport and competition laws violate European Union principles as the company landed another complaint on the EU’s desk against legislation blocking its growth.
Uber asked the European Commission to open infringement proceedings against Germany for failure to comply with EU law, according to a document dated Feb. 27. The complaint targets “extremely restrictive provisions” in the country’s legislative framework.
“These provisions protect as their main objective the taxi monopoly in general, and existing taxi operators in particular, against competitors to the detriment of new innovative business models,” according to a copy of the complaint provided by Uber.
Uber’s charge against German legislation follows a similar complaint targeting a French taxi law and comes amid regulatory and legal hurdles in countries throughout Europe. Uber lost out for a second time in February to a Berlin cab driver who persuaded judges to re-issue a ban on the company’s UberBlack application for limousine services.
Adrian Toschev, a German government spokesman, declined to immediately comment. The commission said it was unable to comment on the specifics of the complaint because of confidentiality rules.
Innovative business models for transport services “cannot be used to circumvent national rules,” commission spokesman Jakub Adamowicz said in a statement. Yet, EU states regulating such services must bear in mind principles of proportionality, non-discrimination and freedom of establishment, he said.
Source: Skift
