Brussels, 19/02/2015 (Agence Europe) -Dominique Riquet MEP (EPP, France) is urging the European institutions to rectify the legal loophole in Europe on the car service known as “VTC” in France and ride sharing. The response from the member of the transport and digital committee at the EP follows another complaint from Uber against France, submitted to the European Commission (see EUROPE 11256).
Riquet describes the current situation as “worrying” with “on the one hand, the number of taxis insufficient and on the other, the competition from Uber Pop not being completely fair”. The US company, Uber, has developed a smart phone app, Uberpop, that puts individuals and car drivers in touch, which taxi drivers are furious about.
Riquet believes that there should not be “tax, social or security exceptions to the rules”, even for start-ups. Riquet believes that the new complaint lodged by Uber against French legislation on VTC highlights the need for a swift response at the most senior level possible, “public regulation on the subject, particularly in the area of competition, must be clarified and harmonised at a European level, in an effort to prevent numerous legal actions being lodged by Uber”. Although he says that he is prepared to “accompany the innovation and development of new forms of passenger transport”, he does not want to “renege on a commitment to free and non-distorted competition”.
In a message on behalf of the transport committee at the European Parliament at the beginning of February, the latter's chairman, Michael Cramer (Greens/EFA, Germany), also called on the European Commissioner for Transport to outline its position with regard to the kind of services provided by Uber (see EUROPE 11252). (Marie-Pauline Desset)