Ride-hailing services are escalating their dispute, formally asking the European Commission to intervene against a new Catalan law. They claim this law poses an “existential threat” to their Barcelona operations. Industry organisations contend the legislation, already advancing through parliament, aims solely to protect the traditional taxi industry and flagrantly violates European Union law.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
Backed by a broad coalition of parties including PSC, Junts, ERC, Comuns, and CUP, the proposed ‘taxi law’ seeks to phase out the current VTC (private hire vehicle) model in the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB). The legislation’s core provision prevents urban VTC authorisation renewals once they expire. Consequently, this would immediately remove approximately 600 licences from circulation and, over time, eliminate platforms like Uber and Cabify as they currently operate in the city.
As previously reported by Barna.News, the bill has already cleared its first parliamentary vote, with a majority rejecting amendments that would have halted its progress. This legislative momentum prompted a swift reaction from the VTC sector.
A Formal Complaint to Brussels
In response, a coalition of VTC business groups, including Feneval, Unauto VTC, and Unauto VTC-Catalunya, sent a formal letter of complaint to Apostolos Tzitzikostas, the EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism. As Europa Press reported, the letter accuses Catalan authorities of drafting the text “exclusively under the influence of the taxi sector and without any consultation with VTC representatives.”
The organisations argue the bill explicitly aims to protect a single group’s economic interests. They assert this directly contravenes established EU legal principles. They also point to previous Court of Justice of the European Union (TJUE) judgements. The TJUE has ruled that protecting an incumbent industry’s business model does not constitute an “overriding reason of general interest” sufficient to justify restrictive measures under EU law.
“The draft is explicitly designed to protect the economic interests of a single collective, a purpose that the TJUE has already declared does not constitute an overriding reason of general interest under EU Law,” the letter states.
Jobs and Investment at Risk
Beyond the legal arguments, the complaint also highlights the severe economic consequences the groups believe the law could trigger. The VTC organisations warn that its approval would lead to the “destruction of almost 6,000 jobs” and cause economic losses exceeding “€326 million,” including an estimated €72 million in lost tax revenue and social security contributions.
The letter asserts that technical studies or competition assessments do not back the proposed measures. This would create a climate of “extreme legal uncertainty,” thereby making long-term investment in the region impossible. They also claim the law would “de facto eliminate urban VTC services in Catalonia,” which currently account for around 90% of total demand for their services.
By relegating them to a secondary market, the groups accuse the Catalan government of a “systematic disregard of EU Law” by re-imposing restrictions courts have already annulled. Consequently, they are now urging the European Commission to take immediate action, ensuring the final bill respects the European legal framework.
The VTC sector has requested an urgent meeting with the Commissioner to “analyse the implications of the project and explore solutions.” They also seek to “accelerate the preliminary examination of the infringement procedure on Spanish VTC regulations,” according to Metrópoli Abierta. This appeal to Brussels marks a significant escalation in the long-running conflict between Barcelona’s taxi and VTC industries, shifting the battle from local streets and regional parliament to Europe’s highest regulatory bodies.
