Portuguese Taxi Association Condemns New Ride-Hailing Law as Market Distortion

The National Association of United Taxis of Portugal (ANTUP) has strongly condemned the revision of the TVDE (Transport of Individual and Unpaid Passengers in Unmarked Vehicles) law, approved on Friday by the Assembly of the Republic. ANTUP accuses the political power of submitting to multinational corporations and warns that the new legislation creates a serious distortion in the transport market, severely penalizing the taxi sector. A key change allows taxis to register as TVDE vehicles if they meet certain requirements, which ANTUP argues undermines fair competition. The association also questions the transparency of the legislative process. The law aims to regulate ride-hailing services like Uber and Bolt, which have grown rapidly in Portugal. The government defends the changes as a step toward modernizing the sector and improving consumer choice.

Global Impact

This is a domestic regulatory dispute in Portugal with limited global reach. The primary impact is on the local taxi and ride-hailing market, where the law could reshape competitive dynamics.