Uber promises changes to avoid Germany ban

INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Image copyrightReutersUber says it will make changes to avoid being banned in Germany, after a court ruled some of its processes did not
respect local law.In Germany, the app connects passengers to private hire vehicle and taxi firms, rather than independent drivers.But trade
body Taxi Deutschland complained that some of Uber's processes broke Germany's rules on passenger transport.Uber said it would continue to
operate in Germany while it made changes.What was the issue?In most countries where Uber operates, the company connects passengers with
independent drivers who have signed up to offer rides in their cars.In the UK and in some other countries, the drivers must be insured and -
in some cases - require a license to offer rides to the public.The company used to offer a service in Germany called UberPop, which
connected riders with unlicensed drivers
However, a German court banned it in 2015 following a complaint from Taxi Deutschland.Since then, Uber has worked with licensed private hire
vehicle companies in Germany, so passengers using the app get picked up by a driver from a traditional private hire firm.But Taxi
Deutschland said some of Uber's practices violated the country's Passenger Transportation Act, which became law in the 1980s.What was Uber
accused of doing wrong?German law says private hire drivers must return back to their company's base after completing a trip, if they do not
have another journey lined up
Drivers are not allowed to drive around or park somewhere waiting for a new job to come in.The complaint said Uber had not done enough to
make sure the private hire companies it worked with respected this rule.The law also says that private hire jobs must be accepted by the
business, rather than the individual driver.So, when somebody uses the Uber app in Germany, the company finds nearby drivers and then has to
send the booking request to the driver's despatch office.The job must then be accepted and sent to the driver by a human despatch operator
The process cannot be automated.The complaint said Uber had also failed to enforce this rule.How has Uber responded?In a statement, the
company said: "We will assess the court's ruling and determine next steps to ensure our service in Germany continues."Working with licensed
private hire vehicle operators and their professional drivers, we are committed to being a true partner to German cities for the long
term."The company is deciding whether to appeal against the court's finding
It can continue to operate for now, but Taxi Deutschland said it would seek enforcement of the court's decision, which would see the company
fined if it continued to offer rides.Uber has faced increase scrutiny over its business practices
In 2017, Europe's top court ruled that Uber was a transport company rather than just an "information society service", because the company
decided the fares passengers were charged.In November, London's transport authority TFL said it would not extend Uber's licence to operate
in the capital.London Mayor Sadiq Khan said there had been 14,000 fraudulent trips in London in late 2018 and early 2019, and that "safety
is the paramount concern".The company continues to operate as it appeals against the decision