Uber banned across Germany
Car hire and pick-up service Uber has been hit by a nationwide ban in Germany, after a court in Frankfurt ruled the company could not operate in the country.
The ruling states that Uber lacks the the required legal permits to operate under German law and was last week told to stop carrying passengers or it would face a fine otherwise.
German newspaper Der Spiegel reported that the fine was only temporary and things could change after a follow-up hearing.
In July, the San Francisco-based firm, which allows passengers to summon cars using an app on their smartphones and calculates the fare en route, came under scrutiny in London as taxi drivers complained the company's looser regulatory boundaries made it for an unfair competition.
London's transport authorities, however, decided against taking legal action against the firm, which counts Google and Goldman Sachs among its backers.
DC