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Brussels scooter licences annulled: what happens to the workers the FGTB wants to protect?

After the regional licences underpinning Brussels' shared e-scooters and bikes were annulled, the socialist union FGTB says its priority is protecting the jobs left exposed in the legal vacuum.

Belgium Impulse Editorial·9 August 2026·2 min read·
Developing· 1 primary source · Background sources: 2 · some details remain unconfirmed

In 30 seconds

  • The regional licences for shared e-scooters and bikes in Brussels have been annulled, per Le Soir.
  • The FGTB says its priority is protecting the jobs of workers employed by the affected operators.
  • Brussels had moved to a licensing system capping the number of micromobility operators and fleet sizes to reduce pavement clutter.
  • Brussels has lacked a full regional government since the June 2024 elections, complicating any swift official response.

Brussels-Capital Region licensed shared micromobility (free-floating e-scooters and bikes) by capping the number of operators and fleet sizes through a public authorisation procedure. Those licences have now been annulled, apparently after a legal challenge, leaving operators without valid permissions. The FGTB (Fédération Générale du Travail de Belgique), the francophone socialist trade union, is demanding protection for the workers employed by these operators. Key entities: the Brussels regional authorities and Bruxelles Mobilité; micromobility operators (such as Dott, Bolt and Lime) active in the market; and the union pressing for a social response.

Background

Brussels' micromobility market ballooned from around 2019, with multiple free-floating operators and thousands of e-scooters crowding footpaths and drawing complaints about safety and clutter. The region responded with a licensing regime designed to cut the number of operators and cap fleets — a common European pattern. Legal challenges to such competitive public procedures are frequent, because a single flaw in how a tender is run can lead a court to annul the whole award.

Context & what happens next

What to do

Users may see fluctuating availability of shared scooters and bikes during the legal limbo; workers in the sector face uncertainty over their employment; and the region faces pressure to restore a legally sound framework while safeguarding public space.

Impact

Regional — The direct impact is on Brussels: micromobility workers employed by affected operators, the region's mobility administration, and users who depend on shared scooters and bikes for short trips. Availability and service could fluctuate until a valid licensing framework is restored.

Evidence
Developing · 1 primary source · Background sources: 2 · some details remain unconfirmed
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