Lime Wins Court Ruling Annuling Brussels Shared Bike and Scooter Licences

Belgium’s Council of State has annulled the 2023 licensing decisions that granted shared‑bike and electric‑scooter permits in the Brussels‑Capital Region to operators Bolt, Dott and Voi. The ruling follows a legal challenge by Lime Network, which argued that the selection process was rushed, lacked transparency and violated the 1991 law on the formal motivation of administrative acts. Lime welcomed the decision, stating, “We are delighted with the decision rendered today, which confirms that the procedure followed by the Brussels‑Capital Region to allocate licences in 2023 was fundamentally illegal.”

The annulment forces the region and current operators to cease services pending a new, transparent tender. Brussels authorities confirmed that the broader policy framework remains in place, including a planned total ban on shared electric scooters effective 1 January 2027. Legal teams at Bruxelles Mobilité are reviewing the immediate operational consequences, while the region is expected to launch a new call for tenders that complies with legal standards.