The last reform dates back 10 years and was originally intended to bring fares down. That objective, however, was not achieved, prompting a new overhaul. By 2030, the taxi market is set to be liberalised, meaning that the number of taxi licences will no longer be capped. However, the Chamber of Skilled Trades and Crafts does not expect this move to lead to lower prices. According to Gilles Walers from the Chamber of Skilled Traes and Crafts, fares would only decrease if taxis were used more intensively.
He argued that increasing the number of taxis would inevitably reduce vehicle utilisation rates, which in turn would mechanically drive prices up. He said he struggled to understand the ministry’s approach, as it seeks both to raise certain fees and to increase taxi availability by allowing more vehicles onto the market. In his view, this combination is unlikely to result in lower fares.
The draft law also stipulates that intermediary platforms such as Uber or Bolt would need to obtain state approval in order to operate in Luxembourg. They would be required to comply with several rules, including setting prices in advance of each journey and working exclusively with licensed drivers.
However, the Craftmen’s Federation warned that excessive competition could be counterproductive. Deputy Secretary-General of the Craftmen’s Federation, Christian Reuter, expressed concern that a large number of drivers might opt to operate as self-employed taxi drivers.
He suggested that many drivers who are currently employees might attempt to switch to self-employed status, as has been observed abroad. In other countries, he noted, there has been a surge in self-employed drivers, creating difficulties for established companies.
Reuter also warned that self-employed drivers could find themselves in precarious working conditions, lacking labour law protections or collective agreements. In some cases abroad, he said, drivers reportedly sleep in their vehicles, illustrating what he described as troubling developments.
More broadly, representatives of the sector feel their concerns have not been sufficiently taken into account. They say they put forward several proposals aimed at improving service quality, including introducing minimum and maximum fares or connected taximeters to better monitor compliance with labour law. According to sector representatives, none of these suggestions were retained in the current draft.
