Uber Hits a Speed Bump in Spain

Uber temporarily suspended its operations in Spain on Wednesday after a judge ruled that its low-cost ride-sharing service UberPop did not comply with Spanish laws and could create unfair competition for local taxi drivers.

The Spanish judge ordered both telecommunications operators and banks to stop supporting Uber’s services. Uber said on its blog that the company received the formal ruling Tuesday and plans to appeal. The $40-billion company has already begun to work with Spanish politicians to create the legal framework that would accommodate Uber’s ride-booking services, the company said.

This is just the latest of many setbacks for Uber, which has faced opposition from taxi drivers and policy makers around the world. Uber is also appealing court rulings in Germany and Belgium, though it’s continuing to operate in those countries during the appeals process.

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