Singapore fines Uber, new partner, Grab $9.5 million
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the regulator said effective fares on grab rose 10 to 15 per cent after the deal and that the firm now holds a singapore market share of around 80 per cent1 singapores anti-trust watchdog fined ride-hailing firms grab and uber a combined 9.5 million dollars over their merger-deal and ordered uber to sell vehicles from its local leasing business to any rival that makes a reasonable offer1 the cccs on monday said it had finalised several measures to lessen the impact of the transaction on drivers and riders and open up the market for new players1 it also said it had found the merger to have substantially reduced competition in the market1 the regulator said it has fined uber s6.6 million and grab s6.4 million to deter future completed irreversible mergers that harm competition1 it also ordered grab to remove its exclusivity arrangements with drivers and taxi fleets1 mergers that substantially lessen competition are prohibited1 cccs has taken action against the grab-uber merger because it removed grabs closest rival to the detriment of singapore drivers and riders cccs chief executive toh han li said in a statement1 the deal invited regulatory scrutiny in the region with the competition and consumer commission of singapore cccs in a rare move launching an investigation just days after the deal was announced1 it told grab to maintain its pre-merger pricing algorithm and driver commission rates1 it also ordered uber to sell vehicles of its singapore-based lion city rentals to any potential competitor who makes a reasonable offer based on fair-market value1 it prohibited uber from selling those vehicles to grab without regulatory approval1 lion citys fleet totalled 14000 vehicles as of december1 uber said it believed the cccss decision was based on an inappropriately narrow definition of the market and incorrectly describes the dynamic nature of the industry saying it would consider appealing1 grab said it completed the transaction within its legal rights and maintained it did not intentionally or negligently breach competition laws1 it added that it had not raised fares since the deal and said for drivers to have full maximum choice all transport players including taxi operators should also be subjected to non-exclusivity conditions1 it said it would abide by remedies set out by the cccs1