14 DAY TRIAL // Uber is always looking to expand its horizons, and this time around it has chosen Eastern Europe and, more specifically, Romania’s capital – Bucharest.
While this may sound great for people who can’t wait to be able to carpool and split the tab or to not have to worry about having exact change to pay taxi drivers around the city since paying is done via a credit card with no need for tips, but unfortunately the lawmakers see things a bit different.
Just as Uber is working to find an entire list of staffers for its local office, the lawmakers are working to sign over a bill that will make Uber… illegal. Basic economic and traffic flow issues that carpooling would solve seem to have no weight with the Romanian lawmakers, but that’s no surprise since they’re not the first, nor the last ones to make such decisions without thinking things properly.
It’s not just Uber that would be outside the law, but also other similar services such as Lyft. Even hitchhiking would be illegal and those caught transporting people between two cities, for instance, could face heavy fines.
The law, of course, will only benefit the business interests of taxi companies and minibus operators since there’s absolutely no other reason for it. The way it is worded, the law states that “unauthorized persons” will no longer be allowed to transport individuals.
The issue with Uber is that while the company may screen and give their drivers the green light to start picking up customers, they wouldn’t have a certificate attesting their professional training, such as it is locally required for taxi drivers and minibus drivers, for instance.
The bill is on its way to become law
The legislation is nonsense, but it doesn’t change the fact that it only needs the approval of a majority of deputies, to be approved by the President and get officially published before it goes into effect. While the current President may see the law’s faults and send the law back to the Parliament, lawmakers are on vacation until the upcoming presidential elections, which means that the law wouldn’t get voted until mid-November at least anyway, and a new President will have to look it over. All in all, there’s an extremely high chance that the law will become reality.
Even so, Uber doesn’t seem too concerned about the fact that as they try to set shop in Bucharest, their activity may very well become illegal.
Uber isn't too concerned
Softpedia has contacted Uber and asked whether the company has taken into account this new law and whether they’ve had any contact with the Government, any lobbying effort to make sure the bill doesn’t pass or if not, if they had a plan on how they’ll be able to conduct business even if the law goes into effect.
“In regards to Bucharest, we are exploring our options in line with our mission. Uber's ambition is to be everywhere - any progressive, forward-thinking city that has a need for safe, reliable and efficient transportation, we want to be there. Bucharest is no exception. We are always exploring our options, including those in Romania. The technological revolution is already happening and a city like Bucharest should not be left behind, particularly as it has a reputation as an innovative hub in Europe,” a spokesperson told us via email.
Even when pushed, the Uber team didn’t want to expand further on exactly what it plans to do under the circumstances.
Uber started off in the United States, expanded to areas in Asia and Europe and has been drawing ire everywhere it goes. Mostly, it’s been problems with the taxi worker unions that are annoyed with the drop in business due to Uber’s presence, but there have been other legal troubles as well, including in Belgium.