Spain: CNMC on Uber: “We cannot ban reality”

José María Marín Quemada, president of the National Commission of Markets and Competition (CNMC), has warned those who defend Taxi’s monopoly in opposition to the emergence of alternative transport platforms, such as Uber, that “We cannot ban reality. ”

“This – in reference to the taxi drivers’ dispute against Uber or Cabify – is one of the examples when we talk about things that cannot be prohibited, but introduced into regulation or new norms must be created. The digital economy sometimes needs a normative regulation” he continued.

Marín Quemada has also pointed out that “what this digitization brings us are signs of business opportunities. There is nothing they can do (these new operators) that the old ones cannot do. If you call for a vehicle with a telephone, nothing prevents the traditional sectors from adapting to that demand “.

“Are we going to ban buying on Amazon or buying a plane ticket with our computer? Are we going to prohibit carrying the boarding pass in our phone? We cannot ban reality” he said sharply, before concluding on this matter: “We have to adapt our rules without anyone benefiting from unfair tax, labor or insurance treatment, which are natural obligations for any serious company.”

The CNMC has decided to promote the granting of VTC transport licenses (which grant the category of driver or professional driver) against the “taxi monopoly” days after the Ministry of Public Works had confirmed that it was not going to continue with opening of the sector, as demanded by the new operators.
Full Content: El Mundo

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