EU to decide whether or not Uber is a transportation service
Uber has repeatedly insisted that it's not just a ridesharing company, but that interpretation is about to get an important test. A Spanish judge has requested that the European Court of Justice determine whether or not Uber is a generic "digital service," as it claims, or a "mere transport activity." If it's the former, European Union countries may have to rethink court rulings and laws that ban Uber. If the court deems Uber a transportation firm, however, the company may have no choice but to obey the same licensing and safety rules as taxis and other hired vehicles. While Uber will undoubtedly be ecstatic if it's victorious, it also risks losing one of its most important legal defenses.
[Image credit: AP Photo/Bertrand Combaldieu]
