autoevolution
 

Uber Suspended in Greece by New Legislation

One more fight has been won by cab companies, this time in Greece, where a new piece of legislation that might push car-sharing service Uber out of existence in the country has been adopted.
Uber under fire in Greece 1 photo
Photo: Sketch App Sources
As a result of the decision made by the local authorities, Uber said it had suspended its service in Greece. Locally, the company had two services in place, the UberX and UberTAXi.

"New local regulations were voted on recently with provisions that impact ride-sharing services," Uber states in a statement.

"We have to assess if and how we can operate within this new framework and so will be suspending uberX in Athens from next Tuesday until we can find an appropriate solution."

In late 2017, the European Union court decided Uber is, in fact, a transportation service, and not a car sharing one, as it describes itself. That would mean the company and its drivers would have to face stricter regulations.

It is unclear whether the situation in Greece has anything to do with the court decision of last December. It’s likely that this year Uber will come under increased pressure in Europe, which at the moment lacks a Union-wide agreed policy regarding such services.

Being deemed a transportation service exposes Uber to a wide range of regulations, which can vary from country to country.

In Greece, the decision to toughen the rules will make a dent in Uber’s finances. Since its arrival in the country, 450,000 people have used its services after its introduction in 2015.

The failure of local taxi companies to adapt to the new technology available has made Uber the target of protests in many countries. At times, in Eastern Europe, Uber drivers have been attacked by cabbies who feel they are being robbed of their customers.

Usually, taxi drivers have to pass various tests and get various permits before being able to operate. They also have to pay extra insurance for the passengers they transport. Uber drivers are not yet required to do so.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Daniel Patrascu
Daniel Patrascu profile photo

Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories