Thursday, 17 September 2026 · Europe
EUR/USD 1.154 EUR/GBP 0.8574 EUR/CHF 0.9449 EUR/PLN 4.347 All rates →
Sign in · Join
EUROPES The European Report
European Edition Thursday, 17 September 2026
LATEST At least five killed and more than a dozen injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine Le Flash →
Tech & Startups

Uber’s European expansion plans may have hit a speed bump

Uber’s European expansion plans may have hit a speed bump

Back in February, Uber announced ambitious plans to launch in seven new European markets in 2026 — but now five of those launches are reportedly on hold.

Back in February, Uber announced ambitious plans to launch in seven new European markets in 2026, but now Financial Times reports that five of those launches are on hold. Country launches that have been paused include Austria, Norway, and Greece.

Uber seemed to confirm the decision to FT, saying that recent launches in Finland and Denmark had been a “huge success,” so now it wants to “focus on continuing the momentum” in existing markets.

Another likely factor in the decision: Uber’s continuing efforts to acquire Delivery Hero, a European company that rejected Uber’s €10 billion takeover bid in May.

It seems Uber is still hoping to make the deal a reality. An industry source said that putting a pause on further expansion could help alleviate antitrust concerns around a potential acquisition, especially since Delivery Hero operates delivery services in several of the target countries.

Don’t miss out . The startup community will gather to answer a pivotal question: How do you build sustainably in the AI era?

More from Tech & Startups