The Authority, which had sent a request for information in August, called for adjusting the number of licences and for exceeding the 20% cap set by the Assets Decree

The Italian Competition Authority has sent a complaint to the municipalities of Rome, Milan and Naples on the critical issues found in the provision of taxi service to the detriment of customers, in terms of the quality and efficiency of the service provided. Analysis of the responses provided by the municipalities to the requests for information sent by the Authority has revealed widespread and structural inadequacy of the number of active licenses with respect to the demand for the taxi service. This situation has generated a very high number of unprocessed requests and excessively long waiting times for the provision of the service.

The survey carried out reveals a context in which there are a total of 7,962 active licences in Rome, corresponding to 2.8 licences per 1,000 residents; 4,853 active licences in Milan, equal to 3.5 licences per 1,000 residents; and 2,364 active licences in Naples, equal to 2.6 licences per 1,000 residents.

To address this serious situation and open up the market to competition, the Authority is urging the municipalities of Rome, Milan and Naples to adapt the number of taxi licences to the demand for these services, a significant part of which remains, to date, constantly unmet, by pushing the increase beyond the 20% ceiling set on an extraordinary basis in the ‘Assets Decree’ (Decree no. 104/2023 converted into Law no. 136 of 9 October 2023) and ensuring rapid implementation of calls for tenders for the allocation of new licences.

With the same view of increasing the quality of service, it is also hoped that additional measures will be adopted, such as the second driver rule (currently active in Rome and Milan but not in Naples), the implementation of taxi sharing and improving the efficiency of shifts, to make them more flexible. In addition, the Authority recommends the active and effective monitoring of the adequacy of the taxi service offer and the actual provision of the service, with the adoption of appropriate control mechanisms, the results of which must be adequately publicised.

Rome, 3 November 2023