The entire country of Italy has banned the ride-sharing app, Uber, following a court ruling that it constituted unfair competition to the country’s existing taxi associations.
The basic point of the case is that Italy’s existing major taxi associations filed a suit saying that Uber constituted unfair competition and a Rome court ruled in their favour. Uber now can’t use its Black, Lux, Suv, X, XL, Select and Van services, nor can it even advertise in Italy.
Uber has 10 days to appeal the decision or to cease operations in the country in order to avoid paying up to $10,600 worth of fines for every day it continues to operate.
An Uber spokesperson said that, they are shocked by the Italian court’s decision. Thousands of professional, licensed drivers use the app to make money and provide reliable transportation at the push of a button for Italians.
Italian taxi drivers have staged a number of strikes, protesting against Uber’s presence in the country. They say the US ride-hailing service has an unfair advantage because, unlike normal taxi drivers, its drivers can purchase licenses in small towns where they cost less, and use them to work in cities.
Uber has faced opposition in countries around the world as its rapid expansion has hit established providers.
