EU court backs France ban of Uber service

The EU's top court on Tuesday backed the right of member states like France to ban a service by ridesharing firm Uber without notifying Brussels, in a fresh setback to the US giant.

The European Court of Justice ruled in favour of France's ban of the UberPop service, which links amateur drivers with customers, comparing it to a December decision backing traditional taxi firms in the Spanish city of Barcelona.

"Member States may prohibit and punish, as a matter of criminal law, the illegal exercise of transport activities in the context of the UberPop service, without notifying the Commission in advance," the European Court of Justice ruled. The European Commission is the 28-nation European Union executive, which tries to set digital and other policies across the bloc.

Uber France is facing criminal proceedings in a court in the northern French city of Lille for its UberPop service.