EU: Taxis launch alliance to compete with Uber

MEPs and stakeholders yesterday launched an organisation aiming to protect the rights of taxi drivers and improve competition against “social platforms” like US ride-hailing service Uber.

Social media platforms like Uber “make it too easy to do social dumping at our expense”, said Loreno Bittarelli, president of URI and a vice-president of TaxiEurope Alliance.

Since expanding into Europe five years ago, Uber has faced backlash from taxi companies for bypassing license and safety rules.

“We think the competition is good—it inspires improvements,” said Miguel Ángel Leal, president of both Spain’s taxi drivers’ association FEDETAXI and TEA.

“We do need to favour European actors here,” S&D MEP David Sassoli said, adding that there have been a lot of “negative developments” in the industry recently. Sassoli stressed the need to establish market rules within the taxi sector that would reflect a “true European market”.

The alliance is demanding the European Commission force their ride-hailing competition to follow the same regulations regarding compliance with labour laws, customer treatment and payment of taxes as European taxi companies do.

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Full Content: FedeTaxi

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