EU: Danish prosecutor indicts Uber over driver violations

Ride-hailing group Uber Technologies’ European business has been indicted in Denmark on charges of assisting two drivers in violating taxi laws, the Copenhagen police’s head of public prosecutions said on Friday.

The indictment of Uber BV is a test case seeking judicial assessment of possible complicity by the company in illegal acts by its drivers, Copenhagen police’s top prosecutor Vibeke Thorkil-Jensen’s said in a news release.

An Uber driver in Denmark was convicted last month of violating taxi laws and fined 6,000 Danish crowns ($855), the latest blow to the ride-hailing service that has stirred protest and legal action worldwide. A second driver was sentenced in absentia after failing to appear in court.

Uber has run into legal hurdles in numerous countries and some of its drivers, who are not covered by strict licensing and safety rules, have been convicted of operating illegal taxi services.

This is the first time Uber itself has been indicted in Denmark.

“We welcome the opportunity to clarify our legal position to the prosecutor,” an Uber spokesperson told Reuters, adding that the company is encouraged by recent indications that the Danish government intends to “modernize” regulations.

Full Content: Reuters

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