Brussels, a European city popular among tourists, has taken a significant step to enhance safety by deciding to prohibit shared e-scooters starting January 2027. The Brussels-Capital Region authorities recently made this announcement, signaling the end of shared e-scooter operations by current providers Bolt and Dott, whose licenses will not be renewed after 2026.
Safety concerns and disturbances to local communities prompted this move, aligning Brussels with other European cities like Paris, Madrid, and Prague, which have also removed shared e-scooters. In response to the rising number of accidents involving e-scooters, reaching 666 in 2025, a 26% increase from the previous year, Brussels officials emphasized the need for this ban.
Mobility minister Elke Van den Brandt and minister-president Boris Dilliès emphasized the negative impact of shared e-scooters on road users and highlighted their involvement in criminal activities, including 25 shootings in Brussels last year. Dilliès stated that removing self-service scooters conforms to a coherent urban policy to address disorder, injuries, street clutter, and criminal misuse, while underscoring the importance of self-service bicycles for mobility strategies.
Despite opposing views, like those expressed by Bolt arguing against the ban, the Benelux Union, consisting of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, has urged the European Commission to establish consistent regulations across the EU. This call comes in light of varying safety standards and the presence of potentially unsafe vehicles on public roads due to the lack of unified guidelines.
Notably, the UK has restricted privately owned e-scooters from public usage, permitting them only on private property. Legal rental schemes operate in select UK cities like London and Birmingham, imposing strict criteria such as speed limits, age restrictions, and licensing requirements for riders.
As Brussels takes a stand on shared e-scooters, discussions about harmonizing regulations across the EU gain momentum, aiming to ensure safer and more uniform e-scooter usage practices in member states.