"Member states can therefore regulate the conditions for providing that service".
"It was about time to put an end to the unfair competition of the gig economy companies that are no more than killer whales in a fish tank", Lopez said.
When all is said and done, Uber and firms like it will have to comply with strict transport and labor regulations across the EU.
The decision comes a week after the northern English city of York refused to renew the Silicon Valley firm's licence, citing a data breach and a number of complaints, in a ruling the app has until January 5 to appeal.
The UK proceedings began at the end of October 2015 when four drivers submitted claims against the ride-hailing app, supported by the GMB union. And while the immediate impact on Uber's business remains unclear, such decisions show that the vow by Uber and other Silicon Valley tech giants to "disrupt" traditional industries and working arrangements is increasingly fraught.
"This ruling will not change things in most European Union countries, where we already operate under transportation law", an Uber spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
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SBC Abogados said in a statement that the ruling had "great judicial significance" and that it could be "extrapolated to other businesses that keep trying to avoid legal responsibilities in the services that they provide". Uber will "continue the dialogue with cities across Europe" to allow access to its services.
Truong Dinh Quy, deputy director of taxi company Vinasun, said that Uber and Grab should be regarded as a transportation company rather than a technology platform.
The city council's gambling, licensing and regulatory committee refused to grant the company a licence to operate, citing complaints and a recent data protection breach which affected 2.7 million United Kingdom users as the reason for its decision.
"We consider Uber to be a fit and proper operator", said Councillor Gerri Bird, the chairwoman of Cambridge city council's licensing committee.
However, an association representing online companies warned that the ruling goes against EU efforts to encourage innovation and help European entrepreneurs compete with USA and Asian rivals.
Neither Uber Systems Spain, which is related to Uber Technologies nor the non-professional drivers had the necessary authorizations and licenses that are mandatory under the regulation of taxi services in Barcelona.
