Uber France and two of its top executives in Europe are to stand trial on September 30 on charges of “misleading commercial practices” and “complicity in the illegal exercise of the taxi profession”, the Paris prosecutor’s office has confirmed, reports The Financial Times.
The charges come a day after police detained Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty, Uber’s general manager in western Europe, and Thibaud Simphal, head of the company’s operations in France, in relation to a complaint filed late last year by one of the country’s taxi unions.
The California-based ride-hailing company operates several services in France. But the charges relate to its UberPop, which allows individuals to offer rides to the public without the standard 250 hours of training.
The Paris prosecutor’s office described the investigations behind the charges as “numerous and complex”. It did not state the maximum sentences linked to the charges.
The case is the latest twist in a fight between the company and the French government, which has declared some of its activities illegal.
François Hollande, French president, declared UberPop’s presence a problem of “unfair competition” last week. His socialist government has also passed a law that in effect declared UberPop illegal.
Mr Hollande added that such services needed to be challenged. “Non-compliance with tax and competition rules is illegal. UberPop should be dissolved and branded illegal and cars should be seized,” he said.