Ever since Uber landed locally in 2013, the ride sharing app and service has proved divisive, particular for local taxi operators. While the battle over the country's roads is still ongoing, further afield Uber has taken a hit. In Italy, a court in Rome has seen fit to ban the service from the country, citing "unfair competition", according to Reuters. 

The court noted  the ride sharing service is acknowledged as being a transportation company, but they do not follow or respect Italy's transportation laws. In particular, rates are not set by the local Transportation Authority, which traditional taxi drivers are forced to adhere to. As a result, local taxi drivers in Italy are seen to be at a disadvantage. 

Uber reportedly has 10 days to shut down all its services in the country, and cannot run any advertising campaigns. Furthermore, a €10 000 per day fine will be enforced should Uber still continue to operate. Uber plans to appeal the decision, with the service is still up and running for now in Italy, according to Techcrunch. 

Whether local taxi associations will adopt similar measures, remains to be seen.