Uber returns to Finnish roads after taxi market deregulation

HELSINKI (Reuters) - Uber Technologies will re-start its ride-hailing business in Finland on Wednesday after a one-year pause, it said, seeking to benefit from the country’s transport law reform.

The U.S. company has come under pressure from traditional taxi drivers and regulators across Europe, who accuse it of unfair competition and skirting traditional licensing rules.

In Finland, Uber was deemed legal provided its drivers held valid taxi licences, but the company has been the target of police investigations and drivers have been ordered to give up their earnings to the state for not having valid permits.

An overhaul of transport legislation came into force on July 1, removing a cap on the number of taxies licences the government issues in a year and fare restrictions, while creating a legal framework for apps such as Uber. Read more