New rules for electric scooter sharing from February

Lime and other electronic scooters are the latest in a trend of ride-sharing vehicles in Brussels. These ride-sharing vehicles are scattered across the city and available at the touch of a smartphone. 

However, new regulations toward Lime and other ride-sharing vehicle companies, such as Scooty, are about to come into play. The region's mobility minister Pascal Smet has had new ordinances drafted specifically for the ride-sharing vehicles that have been popping up all over the city.

Under the new rules, providers of the shared scooters must apply for a licence. The vehicles cannot have an internal combustion engine, and any engine the vehicle has must run on green electricity. 

Printing advertising messages on the vehicles is also not allowed, nor is parking in places where people get on and off of public transportation. 

Providers must also make sure that their vehicles do not block pavements. The government is also discussing banning the vehicles in certain areas, such as the Grand-Place.

The new ordinance will come into effect on 1 February. Companies that already have at least 50 vehicles in the city will be granted a permit until 1 September.