The so-called 'Uber law' establishes a legal framework for individual and paid passenger transport in 'ordinary' vehicles based on an electronic platform (TVDE).

In Portugal four of these international platforms are currently operating, linking drivers of 'ordinary' vehicles to users, through a mobile phone application - Uber, Cabify, Taxify and Chauffer Privé.

According to Law 45/2018, the start of TVDE operators must be awarded a licence by the Institute of Mobility and Transport, which will be valid for 10 years.

To be a partner and be able to have cars working for the likes of Uber and Taxify, operators must set up a company, because the law only allows "collective persons" to operate in the sector.

According to the new law, platform operators are obliged to pay a contribution of 5% of their intermediation cha, which is intended to offset the administrative costs of regulating and monitoring their activities and to encourage compliance with national urban mobility objectives.

According to the bill, the platforms operating in Portugal will be audited to ensure compliance with national legislation and competition rules will be the responsibility of the Mobility and Transport Authority.

TVDE drivers, who will need to hold a Category B driving license for more than three years, also have to complete a compulsory training course (number of hours as yet to be decided), which will be valid for five years, with specific modules on communication and interpersonal relationships, among other topics.

To work legally as a driver for any one of these platforms, the driver must have a written contract with a partner, who then becomes his employer.

TVDE drivers are restricted from picking up passengers on the street without an appointment through their platform, cannot drive in bus lanes and cannot stop at taxi ranks. They are also prohibited from driving for more than 10 hours per day, regardless of the 'app' they work for.

Portugal's official taxi drivers, who are required to pay large sums for one of a limited number of available licenses and to meet stringent standards, between 19 and 26 September protested against the entry into force of this law. After eight days, the representative associations of the taxi sector decided to demobilise the protests in Lisbon, Porto and Faro, against the electronic passenger transport platforms after the ruling Socialist party proposed regulation be transferred to local authorities.