Uber Pauses Expansion in Five European Markets
Uber, which in February announced plans to enter seven new European markets in 2026, has now paused expansion in five countries, including Austria, Norway, and Greece.
Uber has put on hold its plans to launch in five of the seven European markets it targeted for 2026, according to a report by the Financial Times. The paused country launches include Austria, Norway, and Greece among others, though the remaining two have not been named.
The ride-hailing and delivery company confirmed the decision to the FT, citing a desire to focus on existing markets. Uber noted that recent launches in Finland and Denmark had been highly successful, and the company now wants to maintain that momentum.
Another likely factor influencing the pause is Uber’s ongoing efforts to acquire European company Delivery Hero. Delivery Hero rejected a €10 billion takeover bid from Uber in May, but Uber is still hoping to reach a deal.
An industry source said that halting further expansion could help alleviate antitrust concerns surrounding a potential acquisition, particularly given that Delivery Hero already operates delivery services in several of the countries Uber had targeted for expansion.
