Uber(ROME) — UberPOP has been blocked throughout Italy.
The ride-sharing app, similar to the American UberX , allows users to order a ride from a driver without a commercial licence. Italian taxi drivers, on the other hand, are tightly regulated with severe limits on the number of licenses.
A judge ruled Tuesday that UberPOP “was subject to only minor fees compared to the costs taxis have to pay in order to operate and thus was benefiting from unfair competition,” the AFP reported.
France, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands have all banned the app, though appeals are pending in France and Germany.
Uber Europe had promised expansion and tens of thousands of jobs in Europe. The company says it’s disappointed with the decision and will appeal.
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