Taxi app Uberpop, which allows private individuals to operate as taxis, remains banned in the Netherlands, the company appeal court said on Monday.

Uber was appealing against a lower court decision which said the app breaks current taxi licencing laws.

Uberpop allows anyone to register as a driver and offer taxi services. Four drivers in Amsterdam have already been fined €1,500 each for breaking the taxi law and face a further €10,000 fine if they do it again.

The court ruled that drivers are practising an ‘economic activity’ and there is no question that they are operating a carpooling system, as Uber claims.

In addition, because Uber claims 20% of the drivers’ earnings, it cannot simply be seen as a supplier of technology, the court said.

In a reaction, Uber said it would continue to operate its Uberpop service in the Netherlands pending a further appeal.

‘This ruling was made on the basis of an old law from 2000. Then there were no smartphones and other innovative ways of guaranteeing quality,’ the company said. ‘We will continue to offer Uberpop so as not to stop the renewal process we have set in motion.’

On Friday, the VVD called for changes in the taxi law to make Uber legal.