Court Blocks Uber Service Ban in Hamburg

An administrative court says Hamburg cannot stop provider Uber Technologies Inc. from operating in the German city, since the court is still reviewing a challenge to the original injunction from Uber.

The court also says the ban is illegal because the wrong city agency issued it. A spokesman tells Bloomberg News the court did not consider the question of whether Uber's service violates German regulations.

Hamburg's Dept. for Economy and Transportation says it ordered Uber to stop operating because transporting people without a license is against the law.

Dusseldorf and Munich are considering similar actions. An attempted ban in Berlin has been suspended pending a court ruling.

Uber has run into stiff opposition from numerous city regulators and licensed tax operators. They complain the San Francisco-based company skirts regulations that apply to conventional carriers. They also say Uber's drivers, who operate as independent agents, may not carry adequate insurance for their passengers.