Brussels ordered to remove shared e-scooters and bikes by September 1

Brussels will see its shared e-scooters and bicycles removed from public spaces by September 1, following a judicial decision by the administrative court. This ruling has caught local authorities by surprise, as a complete ban on e-scooters was not expected until 2027.

The Belgian Council of State annulled the regional licenses granted for operating free-floating micro-mobility services in Brussels. The court's decision was prompted by a lawsuit filed by a competitor who was unsuccessful in the licensing process. Consequently, the Brussels Mobility agency has officially notified the operators, demanding the removal of all affected vehicles, including e-scooters and shared bicycles, from public areas.

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annulled the decisions of granting regional licenses allowing the operation of free-floating micro-mobility services in Brussels.

The regional government plans to convene meetings with the involved companies to assess the consequences of this judicial decision and determine the next steps. The court's ruling compels authorities to act hastily, as the initial plan was to phase out e-scooters starting January 1, 2027. This decision aligns with safety concerns that have led similar cities like Paris, Madrid, and Prague to implement restrictions on shared mobility services in recent years.

Initially, the regional government had intended to phase out e-scooters by the end of 2026, coinciding with the expiration of licenses held by current operators Bolt and Dott. However, the Council of State's decision also impacts shared bicycle fleets operated by Bolt, Dott, and Voi, whose licenses have also been invalidated, despite the region not having initially planned to ban them.

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The objective is that all affected vehicles, whether electric scooters or free-floating shared bicycles, have disappeared from Brussels public space no later than September 1, 2026.