Uber threatens to leave Norway

UberOSLO.illustration picture of taxi app Uber. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB scanpix

Uber threatens to leave Norway

Uber wishes to continue operations in Norway, but threatens to withdraw completely if the authorities do not approve a number of proposals for changes in the company.

 

“At worst, the consequence of the process which is now taking place would be that Uber has to assess its presence in Norway”, said The company’s Norway boss, Carl Edvard Endresen, at a press conference Wednesday morning, writes Nettavisen.

 In a letter to the Minister of Transport, Ketil Solvik-Olsen (Frp), the company reviews a number of proposals for changes.

 The company now hopes that it will be considered legal in the revised tax regulatory framework, not least because of pressure from the EFTA Surveillance Authority ESA, which requires Norway to change the passenger loyalty system. ESA considers today’s scheme e to prevent free competition.

 Uber now proposes automatic reporting of drivers’ income to the IRS. The company will also enter into agreements with organizations offering pension and insurance schemes for drivers.

 In addition, the company wishes the drivers to be given a driving license. However, the company does not want to establish itself in the districts where competition is less.

Wants to Expand

 The Uber boss believes ESA’s requirements may open for the company to expand its services to Trondheim, Bergen and Stavanger, writes VG.

 “We are looking forward to expand our business to these cities,” says Endresen.

 Earlier this week, it became known that both Uber companies and drivers were investigated by the Oslo police for possible violations of occupational transport, VAT and tax legislation. The investigation was triggered by the notification from the Norwegian Tax Association in December last year.

About the company (wikipedia)

Uber Technologies Inc. is a technology company headquartered in San Francisco, California, United States, operating in 570 cities worldwide. It develops, markets and operates the Uber car transportation and food delivery mobile apps. The drivers use their own cars, although drivers can rent a car to drive for them.

The name “Uber” is a reference to the common (and somewhat slangy) word “uber”, meaning “topmost” or “super”, and having its origins in the German word über, meaning “above” or “over”.

The company has been a pioneer in the sharing economy and the changes in industries as a result of the sharing economy have been referred to as “Uberification” or “Uberisation”. They have also been the subject of protests and legal actions.

 

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today