Commission to review ride-sharing rules across the EU

Published on 23/05/2025 - 16:39 GMT+2

The European Commission will this twelvemonth reappraisal rules governing ride-hailing services specified arsenic Uber, Bolt, Cabify and Heetch this twelvemonth arsenic portion of its Single Market Strategy unveiled this week, a elder charismatic has indicated.

EU personnel authorities presently modulate app-based taxi services done a patchwork of different rules, covering aspects specified arsenic licensing, waiting times, conveyance size, and parking. In caller years, tensions successful relations betwixt accepted taxi drivers and ride-share drivers person flared successful various capitals, amid accusations of unfair competition.

Transport is simply a shared competence betwixt EU countries and nan European executive, and nan Commission intends to activity towards harmonising these rules. 

Speaking connected Thursday astatine nan motorboat of nan Shared Mobility Europe conjugation – a group bringing together European ride-hailing firms, driver organisations and mobility platforms – Petra Söderqvist, a personnel of nan furniture of Tourism Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas, welcomed nan inclusion of ride-sharing successful nan Single Market Strategy. 

“We person nan support of nan assemblage that we request to look into this,” she said. 

“I deliberation that location is simply a beardown awesome that we want to person a governmental chat connected this successful nan Commission this twelvemonth - what tin we really do to reside this and what are nan possibilities,” she added, noting that further specifications and actions would beryllium shared successful 2025. 

During nan coalition’s launch, representatives of ride-share companies voiced their concerns, highlighting stark regulatory differences crossed nan EU. For example, successful Italy, drivers must hold 20 minutes aft a booking is made earlier picking up fares, and location are less licences disposable successful nan state than successful Paris alone. In parts of Spain, vehicles must beryllium astatine slightest 4.9 metres long. 

Back successful 2022, nan Commission issued a announcement connected Transport-on-Demand, acknowledging nan worth of ride-hailing successful decarbonising carrier and enhancing mobility. But Eduardo Martín Gómez de Villalba, President of MOVEA - an NGO representing nan interests of VTC (chauffeur-driven vehicle) drivers - said that while nan nickname was appreciated, it was not sufficient. He is urging nan Commission to propose binding regulations to reside nan ongoing challenges. 

Söderqvist warned that warned not to expect "any expansive actions", nevertheless since she said nan rumor progressive sensitivities complete ineligible competence and nan subsidiarity principle.