US    –   Uber could be forced to adhere to local licensing laws in European cities, after a top legal adviser to Europe’s highest court said the US ride-hailing app should be regulated as a transport company. The European court of justice’s advocate general Maciej Szpunar said Uber provides a transport service, rather than a digital service as it has argued. He said in a statement: “The Uber electronic platform, whilst innovative, falls within the field of transport. Uber can thus be required to obtain the necessary licenses and authorizations under national law.” While the advocate general’s opinion is non-binding, the court’s judges follow it in most cases. This means Uber, which allows passengers to summon a ride through a smartphone app, may soon be subject to the same local laws that regulate taxi services in European countries.[+]http://abonnement