Massive leak reveals how top politicians secretly helped Uber

They detail the extensive help Uber got from leaders such as Emmanuel Macron and ex-EU commissioner Neelie Kroes. They also show how the taxi ... Imagecaption,ThefilesshowEmmanuelMacronwasonfirstnametermswithUber'sfounderwhileex-EUcommissionerNeelieKroessecretlylobbiedforthefirmThousandsofleakedfileshaveexposedhowUbercourtedtoppoliticians,andhowfaritwenttoavoidjustice.TheydetailtheextensivehelpUbergotfromleaderssuchasEmmanuelMacronandex-EUcommissionerNeelieKroes.Theyalsoshowhowthetaxifirm'sformerbosspersonallyorderedtheuseofa"killswitch"topreventraidingpolicefromaccessingcomputers.Ubersaysits"pastbehaviourwasn'tinlinewithpresentvalues"anditisa"differentcompany"today.TheUberFilesareatroveofmorethan124,000records,including83,000emailsand1,000otherfilesinvolvingconversations,spanning2013to2017.TheywereleakedtotheGuardian,andsharedwiththeInternationalConsortiumofInvestigativeJournalistsandanumberofmediaorganisationsincludingBBCPanorama.Theyreveal,forthefirsttime,howa$90m-a-yearlobbyingandpublicrelationseffortrecruitedfriendlypoliticianstohelpinitscampaigntodisruptEurope'staxiindustry.WhileFrenchtaxidriversstagedsometimesviolentprotestsinthestreetsagainstUber,MrMacron-nowpresident-wasonfirstnametermswithUber'scontroversialbossTravisKalanick,andtoldhimhewouldreformlawsinthefirm'sfavour.Uber'sruthlessbusinessmethodswerewidelyknown,butforthefirsttimethefilesgiveauniqueinsideviewofthelengthsitwenttoinachievingitsgoals.UBERFILES:TechfirmlobbiedtopministersatundeclaredmeetingsUBERFILES:Greyballing,killswitches,lobbying-Uber'sdarktricksrevealedTheyshowhowex-EUdigitalcommissionerNeelieKroes,oneofBrussels'topofficials,wasintalkstojoinUberbeforehertermended-andthensecretlylobbiedforthefirm,inpotentialbreachofEUethicsrules.Atthetime,Uberwasnotjustoneoftheworld'sfastest-growingcompanies-itwasoneofthemostcontroversial,doggedbycourtcases,allegationsofsexualharassment,anddatabreachscandals.Eventuallyshareholdershadenough,andTravisKalanickwasforcedoutin2017.Ubersayshisreplacement,DaraKhosrowshahi,was"taskedwithtransformingeveryaspectofhowUberoperates"andhas"installedtherigorouscontrolsandcompliancenecessarytooperateasapubliccompany".'Spectacular'MacronhelpPariswasthesceneofUber'sfirstEuropeanlaunch,anditmetstiffresistancefromthetaxiindustry,culminatinginviolentprotestsinthestreets.InAugust2014,anambitiousformerbankernamedEmmanuelMacronhadjustbeenappointedministerfortheeconomy.HesawUberasasourceofgrowthandbadlyneedednewjobs,andwaskeentohelp.ThatOctober,heheldameetingwithMrKalanickandotherexecutivesandlobbyists,whichmarkedthestartofalong-butlittle-publicised-stintasachampionofthecontroversialfirm'sinterestswithingovernment.UberlobbyistMarkMacGanndescribedthemeetingas"spectacular.LikeI'veneverseen,"thefilesshow."Wewilldancesoon,"headded."Emmanuel"and"Travis"weresoononfirstnameterms,andmetatleastfourtimes,thefilesshow-inParis,andattheWorldEconomicForumconferenceinDavos,Switzerland.OnlytheDavosmeetinghasbeenpreviouslyreported.AtonepointUberwrotetoMrMacronsayingitwas"extremelygrateful"."Theopennessandwelcomewereceiveisunusualingovernment-industryrelations."Frenchtaxidriverswereparticularlyenragedbythe2014launchofUberPop-aservicewhichallowedunlicenseddriverstoofferrides,atmuchlowerprices.Courtsandparliamentbannedit,butUberkepttheservicerunningasitchallengedthelaw.MrMacrondidn'tthinktherewasafutureforUberPop,butheagreedtoworkwiththecompanytorewriteFrance'slawsgoverningitsotherservices."Uberwillprovideanoutlineforaregulatoryframeworkforridesharing.WewillconnectourrespectiveteamstostartworkingonafeasibleproposalthatcouldbecometheformalframeworkinFrance,"anemailfromTravisKalanicktoMrMacronreads.On25June2015,theprotestsbecameviolent,andaweeklaterMrMacrontextedMrKalanickwithanapparentofferofhelp.Imagesource,GettyImagecaption,ProtestsagainstUberPopturnedviolent.Paris,25June2015"[I]willgathereverybodynextweektopreparethereformandcorrectthelaw."Thesameday,UberannouncedthesuspensionofUberPopinFrance.Theextentofthenow-presidentofFrance'srelationshipwiththecontroversialglobalfirmthatwasoperatinginviolationofFrenchlawhasnotbeenrevealeduntilnow.AspokespersonforMrMacronsaidinanemail:"Hisfunctionsnaturallyledhimtomeetandinteractwithmanycompaniesengagedinthesharpshiftwhichcameoutduringthoseyearsintheservicesector,whichhadtobefacilitatedbyunlockingadministrativeandregulatoryhurdles."Ubersaidthe"suspensionofUberPopwasinnowayfollowedbymorefavourableregulations,"andanewlawthatcameintoforcein2018resultedinFranceadopting"stricterregulations"thatwere"innowaybeneficialtoUber".RegulatorturnedlobbyistThefilesalsorevealhowUber'srelationshipwithoneofEurope'stopofficials,EuropeanCommissionvice-presidentNeelieKroes,begansignificantlyearlierandrandeeperthanpreviouslywasknown,puttingherinanapparentbreachofrulesgoverningcommissioners'conduct.TheyrevealshewasintalkstojoinUber'sadvisoryboardbeforesheevenleftherlastEuropeanpostinNovember2014.EUrulessaycommissionershavetorespecta"cooling-off"period,then18months,duringwhichnewjobsrequiretheapprovalofthecommission.Asacommissioner,MsKroesoversawdigitalandcompetitionpolicy,andwasahigh-profilescourgeofbigtech,playingaleadingroleinhittingMicrosoftandIntelwithmassivefines.Butofallthecompaniesshecouldhaveworkedforafterleaving,Uberwasaparticularlycontroversialchoice.Inherhomecountry,theNetherlands,theUberPopridesharingservicehadalsobroughtlegalandpoliticaltrouble.UberdriverswerearrestedinOctober2014,andthatDecemberajudgeintheHaguebannedUberPop,threateningfinesupto100,000euros.InMarch2015,Uber'sAmsterdamofficewasraidedbyDutchpolice.EmailssaythatMsKroescalledministersandothermembersofthegovernmenttopersuadethemtobackdownduringtheraid.Duringanotherraidaweeklater,MsKroesagaincontactedaDutchministertheUberFilesshow,and,inthewordsofanemail,"harassed"theheadoftheDutchcivilservice.Aninternalemailadvisedstaffnottodiscussherinformalrelationshipexternally:"HerreputationandourabilitytonegotiatesolutionsintheNetherlandsandelsewherewouldsufferfromanycasualbanterinsideoroutsidetheoffice."ThefilesshowthatthecompanywantedMsKroestopassmessagesontotheofficeoftheDutchPrimeMinister,MarkRutte.InOctober2015,anemailreads:"We'llgetbackchannelgoingwithNeelieandthePM'sChiefofStaff,toextractmaximumadvantagethrough'giving'themthenotionofa'victory'."Shewrotetothecommission'sAdHocEthicalCommitteerequestingpermissiontojoinUber'sadvisoryboardbeforethe18monthswereup,andappealedtocommissionpresidentJean-ClaudeJuncker.Thatpermissionwasdenied,butdocumentsshowMsKroescontinuedtohelpthecompanyinformallyuntilherappointmentwasannounced,shortlyafterthecooling-offperiodhadended.ThisunderlinesthatMsKroeswasina"clearbreach"oftherules,saysAlbertoAlemanno,JeanMonnetprofessorofEuropeanUnionlawatHECParis.Imagesource,ANP/AlamyStockPhotoImagecaption,DutchPMMarkRutte,Uber'sthenCEOTravisKalanickandNeelieKroesonavisittoSiliconValleyin2016"You'reprovingthefactthatyou'redoingsomethingyouarenotallowedtodo,"hetoldBBCPanorama."Becauseifshedidn'tnecessarilyaskforpermission,youmightstillarguetherewasagreyarea,therewasagreyzone.Butnowit'snolongerthere."LookingatallthedisclosuresaboutMsKroes'relationshipwithUber,hesaid:"Itmakesmefeelthatoursystemisprobablynotfitforpurposebecausethissituationshouldhavebeenprevented."MsKroesdeniesthatshehadany"formalorinformalroleatUber"beforeMay2016,whenthecooling-offperiodexpired.ShesaidasanEUcommissionersheinteractedwithnumeroustechnologycompanies,"alwaysdrivenbywhatIbelievewouldbenefitthepublicinterest".Duringthecoolingoffperiod,theDutchgovernmentappointedherspecialenvoyforstart-ups,whichinvolvedinteractionswitha"widearrayofbusiness,governmentandnon-governmentalentities"withtheaimofpromotinga"business-friendlyandwelcomingecosystemintheNetherlands",shesaid.AspokespersonfortheDutchministryofeconomicaffairssaysthat"Uberwasnotconsideredastart-upin2015".UbersaysMsKroeslefttheadvisoryboardin2018,andsaysithassinceintroducednewguidelines"strengtheningoversight"of"lobbyingandexternalengagementswithpolicymakers"inEurope.'HitkillswitchASAP'Ifthepolicecameknocking,Uberhadasecondlineofdefence-the"killswitch",whichmadeitimpossibleforvisitinglawenforcementtoaccessthecompany'scomputers.Thiswouldrestrictofficers'accesstosensitivecompanydata,suchaslistsofdrivers,whichthecompanybelievedwouldharmitsgrowth.Thefilesconfirmearliernewsreportsaboutthekillswitch,andrevealthatMrKalanickhimselfactivatedthesystematleastonce."PleasehitthekillswitchASAP.AccessmustbeshutdowninAMS[Amsterdam],"anemailfromhisaccountsays.ThekillswitchwasalsousedinCanada,Belgium,India,RomaniaandHungary,andatleastthreetimesinFrance.Ubersaysithashadno"'killswitch'designedtothwartregulatoryinquiriesanywhereintheworld"sincethenewchiefexecutivetookoverin2017.AspokespersonforMrKalanicksaidheneverauthorisedanyactionsorprogrammesthatwouldobstructjusticeinanycountry,andanyaccusationhedidiscompletelyfalse.HesaidUber"usedtoolsthatprotectintellectualpropertyandtheprivacyoftheircustomers"andthat"thesefail-safeprotocolsdonotdeleteanydataorinformation,andwereapprovedbyUber'slegalandregulatorydepartments".TheUberFilesisaleakof124,000recordsincludingemailsandtextsexposingconversationsandmeetingsbetweenUberexecutivesandpublicofficialsasthetechnology-driventaxifirmsoughttoexpanditsbusiness.ThefileswereleakedtotheGuardianwhichsharedthemwiththeInternationalConsortiumofInvestigativeJournalistsinWashingtonDCandmediapartnersin29countries,includingtheBBC'sPanorama.YoucanwatchPanorama:TakingusforaRide:TheUberFilesonBBCTwoat20:00BSTonMonday11JulyoronBBCiPlayer(UKonly)UberFilesreportingteam:JamesOliver,RoryTinman,NassosStylianou,BeckyDale,WillDahlgreen.Writer:BenKingCorrection11July2022:ApreviousversionofthisarticlestatedthatMrMacronagreedadecreerelaxingrequirementsforlicensingUberdrivers.Whilethedecreedidrelaxsomerequirements,italsointroducednewconditions.MoreonthisstoryUber:ThescandalsthatdroveKalanickout21June2017TravisKalanickseverstiestoUber24December2019RelatedTopicsEmmanuelMacronEuropeanCommissionLobbyingUberTopStoriesLive. ProtestersstormSriLankaPM'sofficeascrowdstear-gassedSriLanka'spresidentfleescountryonmilitaryjetPublished2hoursagoInsidetheofficestormedbyprotestersinSriLanka.VideoInsidetheofficestormedbyprotestersinSriLankaPublished49minutesagoFeaturesWhatdidShinzoAbemean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