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Germany: Watchdogs closely eye new taxi apps like Uber

By  |  October 5, 2014

As new mobile apps for transportation, like Uber, emerge on the market, reports say Germany’s competition authorities are keeping a close eye on the industry and the effects of such apps.

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    Reports say Germany’s Federal Cartel Office issued a statement arguing that the arrival of such new businesses should boost competition within the industry, but not give disadvantages to traditional taxi services. Uber has been banned from two German courts on grounds the app did not comply with German laws on transport of passengers.

    But competition chief Andreas Mundt said that companies like Uber do not have to be detrimental to the market. “More competition would not harm the taxi market,” he said. “The impetus from Uber should be used to arrive at a more liberal interpretation of existing rules.”

    Uber has appealed the bans, say reports. The company is facing regulatory scrutiny for competition issues in several jurisdictions across the globe.

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