A bill to legalize ride-sharing services such as Uber, Taxify, Hopp and Wisemile as a new service called negotiated passenger transport will reach the Estonian parliament this week, LETA/Postimees reports.

According to the draft law carrying of passengers for payment in a vehicle with up to nine seats constitutes negotiated passenger transport, member of the standing Economic Affairs Committee Kalle Palling said. "Negotiated passenger carriage is neither public transport nor taxi service, and clear and strict requirements have been set down for it, for instance, orders must be placed solely through an electronic system," he underlined.

Furthermore, negotiated rides are not eligible for any of the rights granted to public transport, such as driving in bus lanes, and the name of the provider of the service and the driver, as well as the license plate number of the vehicle, must be displayed in the electronic system.

Palling said displaying this information when the passenger is still choosing the service provider is essential for making an informed choice. In addition, the way the fare is calculated has to be displayed when an order is placed.

"By moving decisively forward, Estonia could become one of the first European Union countries – perhaps even the pioneer country – to regulate ride-sharing in its legislation. We aim to keep our legal environment such that it will enable the people to benefit as much as possible from the new economy – that's why it is necessary to respond quickly and regulate ride-sharing in Estonia," Palling told the paper.

Amendments to the bill to be introduced in parliament on Monday can be submitted between the first and the second readings, he said.

A ride-sharing bill has been introduced in the Lithuanian parliament as well.