HIBAPRESS – Shafiq Anouri
The Moroccan Association for the Defense of Consumer Rights has requested the government to work on strengthening trust in transportation services through electronic applications, and ensuring consumer safety, especially as the Kingdom is preparing to host the World Cup.
Ali Shttour, president of the association, which operates under the umbrella of the Moroccan University of Consumer Rights, stated in a statement to the HIBAPRESS website that transportation services via applications are currently operating in Morocco "in an unclear legal zone." Shttour added that "there is no clear and specific regulatory framework for these applications," noting that "current law indicates that any passenger transport using a private car without a license/appropriate permit is considered an illegal activity." He explained that "to build consumer trust and safety, it is necessary to enact special legislation for transportation via applications, specifying whether the applications operate as a service provider only or as a transportation operator, and defining the legal obligations for each role." He continued in the same context: "With mandatory verification of drivers' identities, criminal records, and quality control, and examination of driving licenses and vehicles, to ensure their safety and validity." Shttour also called for "modernizing the fleet (clean cars, equipped with electronic payment technologies)," and "imposing mandatory training for drivers in law, languages, and professional ethics," in addition to "digitizing the relationship between the passenger and the driver: applications, complaints, tracking, evaluation…". Shttour added that "Consumer Protection Law 31.08 issued on February 18, 2011, aims to ensure the rights of the Moroccan consumer in several areas," noting that "Article 3 of the law stipulates that the consumer has the right to clear and accurate information about the product or service." The president of the Moroccan Association for the Defense of Consumer Rights stressed the need for "transportation fares to be posted inside the car," in addition to the necessity for "the consumer to know the driver's destination, and his right to refuse to add other passengers" and "the obligation to provide transparent information on how the price is calculated."
