In Paris, when the government proposed to allow motorcycle taxis and other modes of transportation (such pickup by taxis not from Paris and privately-owned shut

In Paris, when the government proposed to allow motorcycle taxis and other modes of transportation (such pickup by taxis not from Paris and privately-owned shuttle buses) as legitimate ways to pick up passengers at the Paris airports (CDG, Orly), Paris taxi license owners organized a taxi-blockade of the airport. It was very effective. After a couple such blockades, I believe the proposed change was stricken from the law. The whole thing was/is known as "Operation Escargot" -- Operation Snail. I hope I have to eat my words one day, but I just don't see how any law involving "competition" in the Paris taxi scene could ever pass. Even small increases in the # of licenses will lead to taxi strikes (or the threat thereof), and the government/city back-off very quickly whenever that happens as you can imagine. The only way for it to happen would have to be through an out-of-France process, such as Euro-level (de)regulation or a competition proceeding (antitrust). I'd love some more background for the video and any suggested liberalization of licensing (perhaps there is only minimal licensing requirements in Avignon in the first place, compared to Paris, e.g.). edit: added "Paris" at the end of the last parenthetical.