Prince’s Government meets transport industry representatives from Principality and Alpes-Maritimes

Réunion taxis © Michaël Alesi - Direction de la Communication

As promised, the Minister of State, Pierre Dartout, met representatives from the passenger transport industry in Monaco and France (taxi, luxury chauffeur-driven and private hire vehicle services) on Friday 21 October. The Minister of State was accompanied by ministers Jean Castellini and Patrice Cellario, and the meeting was also attended by the Prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes and the First Counsellor at the French Embassy in Monaco.

The Minister of State reiterated the complexity of the situation, given the density of the areas, their enormous appeal and the many events held throughout the region. He also noted that the Prince’s Government was strongly committed to a good relationship with its neighbour, and explained that the Government was equally committed to preserving the features which make Monaco unique and protecting the country’s economy. Against this background, it therefore appeared vital to identify sustainable, complementary solutions.

At the meeting, the participants first reviewed the 2022 summer season, which had been very positive, with the success shared by all businesses.

They then moved on to examining the various ways in which changes might be made to the arrangements for picking up and dropping off customers within the Principality, in light of the upcoming winter period and taking into account the existing differences between private hire and taxi services.

Both the Minister of State and the Prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes stressed the need to introduce fair, simple and sustainable arrangements in the interests of everyone.

As a reminder, since 2014, the carriage of passengers by taxis and chauffeured private hire cars from outside Monaco has been regulated by articles 45 to 46 bis of Sovereign Ordinance No. 1.720 of 4 April 2008, as amended. These provisions stipulate that to meet the needs of their customers (and not to build clientele), foreign vehicles that wish to pick up passengers in the Principality of Monaco must apply for a tax sticker in advance, and that any foreign vehicle may drop off passengers in Monaco without the need to apply for a sticker.

This year, during the period featuring a large number of events both in the Principality and in France, 210 tax stickers were issued to French operators, 180 for private hire vehicles and 30 for taxis. It should be noted that Monegasque operators number 190 vehicles in total during the summer season, including 95 taxis, and that this number has not changed since 2018.

As such, the tax sticker scheme, which is due to expire on 31 October, will be extended until 31 December 2022, at no additional cost, for current holders, to give them time to make changes to their working arrangements.

The Monaco Government also invited the representatives at the meeting to make use of this additional period to forge or strengthen commercial links between French and Monegasque operators in order to best satisfy all of their customers.

From 1 January 2023, and throughout the first quarter of 2023, Monegasque and French operators will be restricted to dropping off passengers in the neighbouring area, except in cases where a vehicle is made available to a passenger for a period of up to eight hours.

As the meeting concluded, the Minister of State welcomed the quality of the discussion that had taken place and noted that another meeting would be held in December.