# Uber executive says European taxis joining platform Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2023-05-29 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: European Taxi Drivers Join Uber's Platform, Despite Meta Description: Uber has seen an influx of European taxi drivers using their platform despite past tensions. Business is strong in Europe with growth of 10% to more than 50% in URL: https://financedigest.com/uber-executive-says-european-taxis-joining-platformhtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2023-05-29t081406z1lynxmpej4s05qrtroptp4uber-europe-1736813960609-compressed.jpg) # Uber executive says European taxis joining platform By Toby Sterling AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Uber is seeing an influx of European taxi drivers joining its platform, an executive told Reuters, a surprising development given the history of tensions between the company and the traditional taxi industry. In an interview, Uber’s Anabel Diaz, who oversees the company’s mobility (ride-sharing) business in EMEA, said business is strong in Europe despite lingering uncertainty about gig economy labour rules. Europe, the [Middle East](https://www.financedigest.com/ferrostaal-group-formally-establishes-cyber-security-practice-in-middle-east.html "Ferrostaal Group Formally Establishes Cyber-Security Practice in Middle East") and Africa “are growing fairly nicely with numbers that go from 10% to more than 50% growth in some of our geographies,” she said. Uber’s biggest [European markets](https://www.financedigest.com/white-bullets-collaboration-with-polands-sygnal-association-significantly-reduces-ad-funded-piracy-in-key-european-market.html "White Bullet’s collaboration with Poland’s Sygnał Association significantly reduces ad-funded piracy in key European market") are Britain, France, Germany and Spain. These have “very solid business performance with a lot of innovation, including [development of our taxi solution](https://www.financedigest.com/soprasteria-partners-with-wallet-services-to-develop-innovative-blockchain-solution.html "SopraSteria Partners with Wallet.Services to Develop Innovative Blockchain Solution") in all of those countries,” she said. Uber says European taxi drivers’ usage of the app has doubled in the [year ended](https://www.financedigest.com/russian-stocks-to-pare-some-heavy-losses-by-year-end-reuters-poll.html "Russian stocks to pare some heavy losses by year-end – Reuters poll") April 30, from 5% to 10% of all rides. Taxi drivers who use the app [consider it a supplement to their curb-side hailing business](https://www.financedigest.com/exclusive-softbank-considering-us-listing-for-its-paypay-business-sources.html "Exclusive-SoftBank considering US listing for its PayPay business – sources"). All Uber trips [must be booked online](https://www.financedigest.com/britain-eu-must-use-caution-in-new-online-rules-un.html "Britain, EU must use caution in new online rules – UN"). Conflict between taxis and [Uber has lessened due to rules requiring private Uber drivers](https://www.financedigest.com/french-uber-drivers-to-earn-more-than-8-per-ride-after-union-deal.html "French Uber drivers to earn more than per ride after union deal") to have a commercial license. Diaz said the company had initially struggled with staffing after the [COVID-19 pandemic](https://www.financedigest.com/demand-for-temperature-controlled-pharma-packaging-solutions-to-reach-over-us-9-bn-by-2030-fmi-projects-a-decline-till-q2-2020-amid-covid-19-pandemic.html "Demand for Temperature Controlled Pharma Packaging Solutions to Reach over US$ 9 Bn by 2030; FMI Projects a Decline till Q2 2020 Amid COVID-19 Pandemic"). “But right now drivers are back on the platform in all-time high numbers, frankly globally, and that’s resulting in better service levels,” she said. Uber reports only group-level figures for its traditional ride-sharing [business and for its delivery service](https://www.financedigest.com/cordant-people-launches-one-hour-temp-service-for-london-businesses.html "CORDANT PEOPLE LAUNCHES ONE-HOUR TEMP SERVICE FOR LONDON BUSINESSES") (Uber Eats) — each account for roughly half of sales. [Europe accounted for $2.1 billion in group](https://www.financedigest.com/tall-group-to-exhibit-with-imageholders-at-self-service-banking-europe.html "TALL Group to Exhibit with imageHOLDERS at Self-Service Banking Europe") revenues in the three months ended March 31, about 24% of the company’s total, making it the company’s largest market outside the U.S. Rules over when gig workers must be [considered employees remain in flux in Europe](https://www.financedigest.com/europes-wizz-air-considering-a-saudi-operating-license.html "Europe’s Wizz Air considering a Saudi operating license"), with different models in place in Spain, Germany and Britain. The E.U. countries will try to agree compromise rules at a meeting of the European Council in June. [Uber argues its drivers](https://www.financedigest.com/uber-to-roll-out-pension-plans-for-uk-drivers.html "Uber to roll out pension plans for UK drivers") should be contractors. But “the reality is we will adapt …(and) [business will find a way](https://www.financedigest.com/easycat-moves-to-public-beta-changing-the-way-businesses-market-their-products-and-do-business-one-catalog-at-a-time.html "EasyCat moves to public beta – changing the way businesses market their products and do business one catalog at a time") forward,” regardless, Diaz said. (Reporting by Toby Sterling; Editing by David Gregorio) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---