MADRID — In an age of digital platforms and on-demand services, it may seem that every new travel app is simply “the next Uber.” Yet a closer look at GetTransfer.com—and the body of EU case law that has emerged around such platforms—reveals that not all ride-related apps function in the same way. While Uber has been classified as providing a service in the “transport sector,” GetTransfer’s model has far more in common with the likes of Airbnb: it facilitates, rather than provides, the primary service itself. Below, we explore what makes GetTransfer distinct from Uber, with a focus on EU legal frameworks and real-world examples that clarify how GetTransfer operates as a marketplace—otherwise known in legal terms as an “information society service”—rather than as a transport provider. 1. The legal backdrop: “Information society services” vs. transport services Under European Union law, services delivered electronically—connecting buyers and sellers without directly providing the underlying good or service—can qualify as an “information society service” (ISS). This classification is crucial because ISS platforms are not regulated as transport providers under legislation like Directive 2006/123 (Services Directive). • Uber’s classification as transport Multiple legal rulings have deemed Uber more than a mere intermediary. Uber uses … Continue reading Is GetTransfer the Next Uber? Here’s Why the two Services Differ Under EU Law