OSLO, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Ride-hailing company Uber, despite its wishes to continue operations in Norway, threatens to withdraw completely if the authorities do not approve a number of proposals for changes in the company, newspaper DN reported Wednesday.
"At worst, the consequence of the process that is now taking place may be that Uber has to assess its presence in Norway," online newspaper Nettavisen quoted Carl Edvard Endresen, head of Uber Norway, as saying.
The company's letter to Norwegian Minister of Transport and Communications Ketil Solvik-Olsen suggests a number of proposals for changes.
Uber now hopes that it will be considered legal in the revised tax regulatory framework, not least because of pressure from the European Free Trade Association Surveillance Authority (ESA), which requires Norway to change the licencing system for passenger transport.
ESA considers the present scheme to be preventing free competition, DN reported.
Uber proposes automatic reporting of drivers' income to the tax authorities, agreements with organizations offering pension and insurance schemes for drivers and the drivers to be given official permit for passenger transport.
Earlier this week, Uber and its drivers were investigated by Oslo police for possible violations of occupational transport and tax legislations. The investigation was triggered by the notification from the Norwegian taxi association in December last year.
