RESPECTING THE LAW AND TEMPORARILY SUSPENDING UBERPOP IN SPAIN

3 min readDec 31, 2014

Language: Español | Català | English

DECEMBER 30, 2014

POSTED BY CARLES LLORET

In April 2014, we launched uberPOP in Spain, our innovative ride-sharing platform embraced by millions of people around the world. uberPOP allows Spaniards to share their own vehicles with their peers to create more efficient cities. Tens of thousands of riders and drivers in Spain have embraced uberPOP as a new way to access safe, convenient and affordable urban rides while sharing their vehicles, saving monthly costs, helping to reduce drunk driving and providing rides to underserved communities

However, earlier this month, the Association Madrileña Del Taxi requested a court injunction against Uber. Today we have received the formal ruling and, in compliance with the December 9th order from the commercial judge and in respect of the law, we are temporarily suspending uberPOP in Spain while we appeal the court ruling and look to develop new options to give Spaniards access to safe, reliable rides.

During this temporary suspension of uberPOP, we will also collaborate with Spanish politicians to develop the modern framework needed to create a permanent home for Uber and the sharing economy — and fortunately Spanish leaders have already been standing up for the innovation economy. The Spanish Competition Authority (CNMC) has clearly stated that current transport restrictions are anti-competitive and restrict the entry of new players into the market — to the detriment of the consumer. The CNMC has also stressed the need to regulate the sharing economy in favor of consumers, as has the Catalan Parliament with a recent vote to establish guidelines on “collaborative consumption”. We will also collaborate with the national government’s working group to develop modern regulations for new technology-enabled services.

Shielding existing incumbents from competition — as Spain’s taxi regulations currently do– restricts drivers’ economic opportunity, limits consumer choice and blocks innovation. We will work tirelessly to develop a regulatory framework in Spain that embraces progress — as many jurisdictions have done in the past few months alone.

In the meantime, thank you for being a part of the Uber community in Spain. Please help us spread the message about Uber’s impact on Spain.