After ceasing operations in Helsinki last year, Uber is back in business after new transportation regulations came into effect this week.
The ride-sharing company had suspended its services in Finland while it awaited the implementation of the new transport law, which allows for surge pricing, increased ability to roam outside of previously restrictive patrol areas, and loosened qualifications to apply for a taxi licence.
Finnish news sites have reported a dramatic increase in the number of operators applying for taxi licences under the new law, with almost 700 applications in one day hitting the country's Transport Safety Agency after it came into affect.
Joel Jarvinen, Uber's general manager in the Nordic region said:
Almost one year ago we paused our operations in Finland, pending the implementation of a new modern transportation law which embraces digital services like Uber.
Those new regulations have now come into effect and so were delighted to relaunch in Helsinki today.
Journeys are expected to restart in the country later this afternoon through its Uber X and Uber Black services.
The news comes as Uber's CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has set a course for improving the company's relationships with cities and regulators across the world, in a time when Uber is slowly gearing up to go public in 2019.
Rumours surfaced late last night that Uber is exploring a potential merger with Careem Networks to tie-up their services in the Middle East, according to Bloomberg sources.
The deal would see Uber either acquire Careem outright, or own more than half of the company. In the latter case, Careem would manage the running of both companies services while retaining one or both of the companies' local brands.
To date, Uber has sold operations in Southeast Asia, Russia and China to players like Grab Holdings, Yandex and Didi Chuxing.
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CityAM
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