Uber Wins a Major Lawsuit in the U.K.'s High Court The court ruling allows Uber drivers to work in London.

By Geoffrey Smith

entrepreneur daily

This story originally appeared on Fortune Magazine

Reuters | Sergio Perez

Ride-hailing app service Uber has won an important legal battle in one of its most important foreign markets.

The U.K.'s High Court Friday ruled that the company's app doesn't work as a taximeter, effectively upholding the right of its drivers to work in London, Europe's largest single city market for the business.

It's a welcome victory in Europe for the controversial company, which has faced some increasingly stiff pushback from regulators and governments across the continent. Its European headquarters in Amsterdam were raided two weeks ago by prosecutors, and two of its top European managers have been indicted in France after defying a government ban on its UberPop ride-sharing service. UberPop has also been banned in Germany.

Together with local taxi drivers' assocations and Transport for London, the authority that regulates public and private transport in the British capital, Uber had asked the U.K. High Court to clarify a point of law that says only licensed operators may run cab services with a taximeter. The court ruled that Uber's app isn't a taximeter as such (even though the app uses time and distance to calculate a fare, and is referred to as a meter in Uber's own marketing materials).

"The law really is an ass!" the London Taxi Drivers' Association said via its Twitter account, adding that it would appeal the decision to the High Court.

News Editor for Europe at Fortune.com.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Side Hustle

I Started a Semi-Passive Side Hustle That Earns $33,000 a Week on Amazon: 'Selling There Is a No-Brainer'

Dr. Jenny Woo wanted to create a product that would help people connect, and it turned out to be a lucrative one.

Business News

Compass Agrees to Pay $57.5 Million to Settle Real Estate Commissions Lawsuits

The class action lawsuits accused Compass of violating antitrust law and conspiring to overcharge U.S. home sellers.

Business News

Jerry Seinfeld Is Now Reportedly a Billionaire — Here's Where His Wealth Comes From

Seinfeld also boasts an impressive real estate portfolio.

Business News

X Is Losing Users and Struggling to Attract Creators, According to New Data

The company, which is owned by Elon Musk, says that 1.7 million people join the platform every day.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.