Brussels government members have not been found guilty of ‘illegal’ or ‘unauthorised behaviour’ and Uber has not engaged in illegal lobbying. This is the conclusion of the special Uber committee, set up by the Brussels parliament, in a report containing twenty findings and fourteen recommendations.
The twenty findings and fourteen recommendations aim on the one hand to improve the relationship between policymakers and the taxi sector. On the other hand, these recommendations should contribute to more transparent decision-making and create a clearer framework for policymakers.
Reassurance The Brussels parliament that is why this special committee was set up at the end of last year. The aim of this committee was to clarify the way in which Uber – and other players – have tried to influence decision-making in paid passenger transport. The report, which was published last Friday, is based on a total of nine hearings and concludes that no improper matters have taken place.
“It is reassuring to note that no problematic lobbying practices have emerged in Brussels,” says Arnaud Verstraete, Green party leader and reporter of the special Uber committee. “We immediately seized the opportunity to make the Brussels rules even more concrete, for more transparency.”
Great displeasure Cieltje Van Achter, N-VA party leader and chairman of the special Uber committee, is also satisfied with the conclusions of the report. “The hearings clearly showed great dissatisfaction within the broad taxi sector. I hope that the work of the Uber committee will be an impetus to restore confidence while at the same time ensuring that decision-making becomes more transparent, including by making it easier for all stakeholders, journalists and citizens to have access to decision-making.”
According to Marc Loewenstein, DeFI deputy and also a reporter for the committee, the hearings also enabled the committee to conclude that there was no illegal or unauthorized conduct on the part of members of the government . “The investigation into this was one of our most important tasks and the conclusion on this is clear,” he says.
“At the same time, it was essential to improve consultation within the sector. This is to finally introduce an ethical framework in Brussels and to improve transparency, without losing sight of the necessary closeness between politicians and citizens in all this”, concludes Loewenstein.
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