Uber Loses EU Court Fight as Judges Take Aim at Gig Economy

  • EU court gives binding ruling on how Uber should be regulated
  • Car hailing app says it differs from traditional taxi services
Uber’s case sets a precedent for the sharing economy. Bloomberg’s Tony Aarons reports.Source: Bloomberg
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Uber Technologies Inc. will be regulated in European Union countries as a transport company after the bloc’s top court rejected its claim to be a digital service provider, a decision that could increase legal risks for other gig-economy companies including Airbnb.

While the EU Court of Justice’s ruling covered UberPop -- which used drivers without taxi licenses and has already been shuttered in many countries due to the legal issues -- it’s a real blow as the first definitive finding that Uber must be regulated by transport authorities.