The European Commission will this year review rules governing ride-hailing services such as Uber, Bolt, Cabify and Heetch this year as part of its Single Market Strategy unveiled this week, a senior official has indicated.
EU member state currently regulate app-based taxi services through a patchwork of different rules, covering aspects such as licensing, waiting times, vehicle size, and parking. In recent years, tensions in relations between traditional taxi drivers and ride-share drivers have flared in various capitals, amid accusations of unfair competition.
Transport is a shared competence between EU countries and the European executive, and the Commission intends to work towards harmonising these rules.
Speaking on Thursday at the launch of the Shared Mobility Europe coalition – a group bringing together European ride-hailing firms, driver organisations and mobility platforms – Petra Söderqvist, a member of the cabinet of Tourism Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas, welcomed the inclusion of ride-sharing in the Single Market Strategy.
“We have the support of the college that we need to look into this,” she said.
“I think that there is a strong signal that we want to have a political discussion on this in the Commission this year - what can we actually do to address this and what are the possibilities,” she added, noting that further details and actions would be shared in 2025.
During the coalition’s launch, representatives of ride-share companies voiced their concerns, highlighting stark regulatory differences across the EU. For example, in Italy, drivers must wait 20 minutes after a booking is made before picking up fares, and there are fewer licences available in the country than in Paris alone. In parts of Spain, vehicles must be at least 4.9 metres long.
Back in 2022, the Commission issued a notice on Transport-on-Demand, acknowledging the value of ride-hailing in decarbonising transport and enhancing mobility. But Eduardo Martín Gómez de Villalba, President of MOVEA - an NGO representing the interests of VTC (chauffeur-driven vehicle) drivers - said that while the recognition was appreciated, it was not sufficient. He is urging the Commission to propose binding regulations to address the ongoing challenges.
Söderqvist warned that warned not to expect "any grand actions", however since she said the issue involved sensitivities over legal competence and the subsidiarity principle.
