A study released by the MaaS Alliance highlights EU-wide uncertainty over legal frameworks applying to the implementation of Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS).
The MaaS Alliance, an EU-based public-private partnership advocating a common approach to MaaS, commissioned the research, which focuses on issues pertaining to competition and access to the market within a legislative context; with the aim of clarifying the respective roles of MaaS providers and public transport authorities and providing an understanding of where those roles intersect. The Alliance has previously raised concerns over the effects of disparate interpretations and legal approaches to MaaS implementation between Member States, noting that disconnects between national and municipal frameworks slow the progress of widespread service provision, as well as hampering providers’ access to the market.
Jacob Bangsgaard, CEO of Ertico and president of the MaaS Alliance, said: “There is a need for clarification of the regulatory framework in place today in Europe when we look at supporting the implementation of new mobility solutions and services. This study gives an insight into the rights and obligations of public and private players. We hope that it will support authorities, operators and service providers when creating new advanced mobility services. We believe that the study will strengthen the development of open MaaS ecosystems and encourage the generation of new public-private partnerships.”
The study evaluated whether EU legislation could affect the overlap between Maas and municipal public transport provision, including examining the potential regulatory implications of public transport providers – which commonly receive a degree of regional, national or EU funding – extending the scope of their provision or offering tickets through MaaS operators. The study also covered the effect of these extensions on transport providers’ damage liability towards travellers; as well as the feasibility of public transport operators actively becoming MaaS providers, taking into account such factors as EU competition law, equal access provision and ticket pricing restrictions.
