HAMBURG, Germany, August 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --
Hamburg Administrative Court has today cancelled a prohibition order by the Hamburg Ministry of Economic Affairs against Uber on formal grounds. As a result, Uber continues to be available to the people of Hamburg and its visitors. The Court considered that the prohibition is already unlawful on procedural grounds because the prohibitive authority did not have jurisdiction. Moreover, the prohibition would not be legal due to the Passenger Transport Act. The contested decision was adopted by the Economic Authority as the regulatory body for the transport industry.
Although the app is gaining in popularity among drivers and passengers, it has been met with resistance by authorities in some German cities. Germany is, as a result, one of the fastest growing markets in Europe having grown by 5 times since the beginning of the year and is expected to double in size by the end of the year. It's therefore fitting that today's decision by the Hamburg Court has allowed for Uber to expand in further cities.
Fabien Nestmann, Germany spokesman for Uber, says: "We are delighted to continue to offer our innovative service in German cities. This makes for more competition and a better service, which both drivers and passengers can benefit from."
