The Generalitat will force Uber and Cabify to require a B2 level of Catalan

During the Mobile World Congress, unlike other years, there was not a single taxi strike. The main reason is that the taxi drivers have reached an agreement in principle with the city council add another obstacle for VTC driversso in the taxi there is an open war with… forever.

According to the publication VanguardOne of the strongest taxi driver associations in Catalonia, Elite Taxi, has ensured that the main groups in parliament commit to implementing the law, along with budgets, that requires drivers to VTC, including the most popular apps. Cabify, Uber or Bolt to get your Catalan B2 certificate.

In exchange for this agreement, taxi drivers agreed not to boycott Mobile World Congress. It is not very clear how this regulation will be developed. but this could be quite a blow to VTC companies., and especially for their employees. Today, VTC companies already have a waiting period before they can request a car with a driver, which is also a result of regulation due to pressure on taxis.

Taxi drivers force B2 Catalan for VTC

And while this is justified by protecting the language, there is really no logical justification for this type of regulation. into a sector that has nothing to do with public administrationin which it is logical that a certain level of the region’s language can be requested.

This is understandably a barrier for VTC companies who are having difficulty recruiting drivers. who have certified Catalan B2, and therefore it is more difficult for them to find drivers who meet the conditions. Conditions that are not required of taxi drivers today and which leave the playing field somewhat uneven in terms of competition.

Will we finally see this ruling go into effect? It is unknown, but it is clear that the pressure on taxis has had political repercussions, which may lead to individual regulation of taxi drivers to participate in any type of future competition. Moreover, according to the court decision, almost 1,400 new VTC licenses will be thrown out onto the street.