Back in February, Uber announced plans for seven new European markets by 2026. However, the Financial Times reports that five of those launches are on hold, including Austria, Norway and Greece.

Uber has confirmed this decision, stating that recent launches in Finland and Denmark have been a ‘huge success’ and they now want to focus on continuing the momentum in existing markets.

Another factor at play is Uber’s ongoing efforts to acquire Delivery Hero. The European company rejected an 10 billion euro bid from Uber earlier this year. An industry source suggests that pausing expansion could help alleviate antitrust concerns over a potential acquisition, as Delivery Hero operates delivery services in several of the target countries.

Despite the pause, it seems Uber is still hopeful about making the deal with Delivery Hero a reality. This latest development highlights the complex regulatory landscape and business challenges facing tech giants.