Court rules that UberPOP cars can still pick you up in Paris
Uber's Paris headquarters were recently raided by 25 policemen, but a court has now ruled that its disputed UberPOP service is actually honky-dory -- for now. The company's low-cost ridesharing option uses non-professional drivers, a practice that French authorities have called unlawful (its other services use professional drivers and are legal). However, the decision is more of a reprieve than a victory for Uber. Paris's Cour d'Appel merely passed the buck to a higher appeals court on whether or not to ban UberPOP. Still, it means Uber can continue to operate the service in Paris until at least June, when a new constitutional court ruling is due.
UberPOP has had a rocky ride in France. In December, a court allowed it to operate, but following an appeal by taxi associations, the government created a new law making it illegal effective January 1st. French authorities have been fining drivers ever since, culminating in a raid earlier this month in which cellphones and documents were seized. However, Uber challenged the constitutionality of the ban and called the raid "a disproportionate attempt to intimidate." It says today's ruling is a "strong sign" that the ban will be overturned.
