Uber halts its service in Greece after legislative crackdown

Uber said it would suspend its licensed service in Greece after new legislation was passed that would impose stricter rules on ride-hailing. Like in other European countries, Uber has long faced opposition from taxi owners in Greece for taking their business.

According to Reuters, the new regulations require each trip to start and end in the fleet partner’s designated headquarters or parking area, something Uber does not do. A digital registry of all ride-sharing platforms and their passengers will also be created. They would also require UberX drivers to be employed by fleet partners such as car rental companies or tourist agencies. Their cars could not be more than seven years old under the new rules.

The data registry and return-to-garage requirement would only apply to ride-hailing services like Uber and local ride-sharing service Beat, while taxi drivers will be able to use cars that are up to 22 years old. UberX launched in Athens in 2015, and more than 450,000 people have used its app to book a ride, the company says.

“We have to assess if and how we can operate within this new framework and so will be suspending uberX in Athens from next Tuesday until we can find an appropriate solution,” a spokesperson for Uber said in a statement. “We hope to work with all local stakeholders to find a way to enable Greeks to enjoy the benefits of modern technologies like Uber.”