A US-designed smartphone application that connects passengers with cars for hire was blocked from operation in Germany by court injunction Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The court ruled the app can no longer function within the country without an official permit under the Passenger Transport Act.<\/p>\n
The ruling is welcome news for Germany’s official taxi companies, which have long charged that the app side-steps regulations and operates without adherence to safety standards.<\/p>\n
Uber promised to appeal. “We will fight the decision and defend our rights to the last,” the company said in a statement.<\/p>\n
“We believe that competition is good for everyone,” it said. “That’s why Germany is one of our fastest growing markets.”<\/p>\n
Violators of the injunction risk a fine of 250,000 euros (328,265 dollars) or imprisonment.<\/p>\n
Uber is active in more that 200 cities worldwide with headquarters in San Francisco, California, and regional offices in Amsterdam.<\/p>\n
The app had already been banned in Germany on a municipal basis, notably in Berlin, where authorities deemed it unsafe.<\/p>\n
Passenger transportation should only occur under legislative oversight, said Dieter Schlenker, chairman of Germany’s main taxi cooperative.<\/p>\n
“No passenger can check the driver, business and vehicle themselves,” Schlenker said.<\/p>\n
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