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An Uber Service Is Banned in Germany Again An Uber Service Is Banned in Germany Again
(about 5 hours later)
BERLIN — A judge in Frankfurt on Wednesday dealt a setback to Uber, ruling that drivers for its ride-hailing service known as UberPop must hold the official permits required of taxi drivers to operate in Germany. The ruling reinstates one of the most severe legal restrictions faced by the company anywhere in the world. BERLIN — A judge in Frankfurt dealt a setback to Uber on Wednesday, ruling that drivers for its ride-sharing service UberPop must hold the official permits required of taxi drivers to operate in Germany. The ruling reinstates one of the most severe legal restrictions faced by the company anywhere in the world.
The decision, by Judge Joachim Nickel, overturns a ruling from September that lifted an earlier injunction against UberPop, which was sought last year by a taxi drivers’ trade group. The decision, by Judge Joachim Nickel, overturns a ruling from September that allowed UberPop to operate. The injunction against the service was sought last year by a taxi drivers’ trade group.
Uber operates two other services in Germany and elsewhere in Europe — UberBlack and UberTaxi — that use only professionally licensed drivers. Those services are not affected by Wednesday’s ruling, which also ordered that Uber be fined 250,000 euros, or about $265,000, for each violation. Uber operates two other services in Germany and elsewhere in Europe — UberBlack and UberTaxi — that use only professionally licensed drivers. Those services are not affected by Wednesday’s ruling, which also ordered that Uber be fined 250,000 euros, or about $270,000, for each violation.
Uber’s services allow drivers to connect with potential passengers using a smartphone application, offering passengers a ride for prices well below those of Germany’s highly regulated taxis. But the company, based in San Francisco, has faced legal challenges across the world since it was founded in 2009, especially in Europe. Uber’s services allow drivers to connect with potential passengers using a smartphone app, offering passengers rides for prices well below those of Germany’s highly regulated taxis. But the company, based in San Francisco, has faced legal challenges across the world, especially in Europe, since it was founded in 2009.
In France, prosecutors ordered raids this week on Uber’s offices in Paris as part of an investigation into the legality of its services in that country after the French government passed legislation requiring all drivers who carry paying passengers to have a license and appropriate insurance.In France, prosecutors ordered raids this week on Uber’s offices in Paris as part of an investigation into the legality of its services in that country after the French government passed legislation requiring all drivers who carry paying passengers to have a license and appropriate insurance.
The Frankfurt district court found UberPop to be in violation of Germany’s public transportation act, which requires any service carrying passengers for a fee to be operated by licensed drivers. In his ruling, Judge Nickel said that while a ban on the service posed limitations to the right to employment, the court considered the benefit outweighed this concern. The Frankfurt district court found UberPop to be in violation of Germany’s public transportation act, which requires any service carrying passengers for a fee to be operated by licensed drivers. In his ruling, Judge Nickel said that while a ban on the service posed limitations to the right to employment, the court believed that the benefit outweighed this concern.
Uber had argued that the service was not subject to the same rules as taxis because the company functions as an exchange service that connects drivers with passengers. The company said it planned to appeal the ruling.Uber had argued that the service was not subject to the same rules as taxis because the company functions as an exchange service that connects drivers with passengers. The company said it planned to appeal the ruling.
”We regret today’s interim ruling about UberPop,” said Fabien Nestmann, the company’s general manager in Germany. “We will now wait to see the court’s reasoning and review it thoroughly.” “We regret today’s interim ruling about UberPop,” said Fabien Nestmann, the company’s general manager in Germany. “We will now wait to see the court’s reasoning and review it thoroughly.”
He continued: ”The ban pronounced by the court represents a fundamental infringement, in particular of our right under European law to establish and provide a service.” “The ban pronounced by the court represents a fundamental infringement,” he added, “in particular of our right under European law to establish and provide a service.”
The lawsuit that led to the ruling was brought by Taxi Deutschland, a trade group representing Germany’s taxi drivers, which charged that UberPop had violated competition laws. The group welcomed the ruling on Wednesday.The lawsuit that led to the ruling was brought by Taxi Deutschland, a trade group representing Germany’s taxi drivers, which charged that UberPop had violated competition laws. The group welcomed the ruling on Wednesday.
”The basis of Uber’s business model is in violation of the law,” Dieter Schlenker, the head of Taxi Deutschland, told the daily newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. “The basis of Uber’s business model is in violation of the law,” Dieter Schlenker, the head of Taxi Deutschland, told the daily newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
Uber has been seeking to speak with regulators in an effort to adapt existing German transportation laws to technological advances in the recent decade. At the same time, the company has been working to find ways to fit its services to the limits of existing law. It recently launched its UberTaxi service, which uses the Uber smartphone application to call a registered taxi, in the same way as a traditional dispatcher. Uber has been seeking help from regulators to adapt existing German transportation laws to recent technological advances, as well as working to find ways to fit its services within the limits of existing law. It recently began its UberTaxi service, which uses the Uber smartphone app to call a registered taxi in a way similar to a traditional dispatcher.