Pires de Lima, Portugal’s Minister for the Economy seems not to have been paying much attention to the massive row over the taxi drivers’ nemesis, Uber.
In a feeble response when action is needed to sort out the confusing mess, Pires de Lima's ministry today ‘seeks clarification’ from the app-based personal transport provider.
The Ministry of Economy has sent Uber Portugal a 'request for clarification' about the company's operation in Portugal, specifically whether or not it is going to comply with recent court decisions.
In a letter to Uber Portugal, the Ministry of Economy claims that "the provision of services by Uber Portugal has raised several issues, in particular related to its regulatory and fiscal framework, which makes clarification necessary.”
The ministry's letter politely enquires whether Uber Portugal is complying with judgments made in Lisbon court in April this year which granted an injunction to suspend Uber Inc’s operation in Portugal, a decision confirmed in June.
Uber Portugal has carried on with its web-based service in Lisbon and Oporto as the injunction named Uber Inc in the USA, not Uber Portugal so the Portuguese company carried on providing its welcome alternative to the nation's over-regulated and costly taxi services.
The court instructed the Bank of Portugal to block all payments to and from Uber Inc., which it has done and which has had no affect at all on Uber Portugal’s continuing operations.
The ministry has asked if Uber has authorisation or a permit for the transport of passengers and, if so, what kind, and what kind of contract exists with the passenger and whether the driver and car ‘benefit from some insurance’ in case of an accident.
The National Association of Road Transport Passenger Cars accuses Uber of "continuing to work in the same way" as it did before the court's decision and considers Uber as illegal competition, saying it endangers the general public, does not pay taxes and "works opaquely" – all claims that robustly are denied by Uber Portugal which says that it accords with all the laws that are in force and that its drivers have licences and pay taxes.
The big demonstration by taxi drivers on September 8, in Lisbon, Oporto and Faro claimed Uber was illegal and unfair competition and asked the ministries of the economy and justice to intervene and to resolve the issue.
Pires de Lima will be stepping down as economy minister when the next government is announced. At a time when decisions are needed, incisive action taken and the Uber situation sorted out one way or another, a letter asking for a few more details simply lacks credibility and could be viewed as a delaying tactic to ensure that the problem is passed to his successor.
