{"id":9147,"date":"2021-11-25T16:32:34","date_gmt":"2021-11-25T16:32:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/TheNextWeb=1374155"},"modified":"2021-11-25T16:32:34","modified_gmt":"2021-11-25T16:32:34","slug":"uber-forced-to-leave-brussels-what-happened-to-the-companys-european-dream","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/?p=9147","title":{"rendered":"Uber forced to leave Brussels \u2014 what happened to the company\u2019s European dream?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Uber will be forced to halt all operations in Brussels from November 26, following a ruling issued by the city\u2019s Court of Appeal on Wednesday, <\/span>De Stanaard<\/a> reports<\/span><\/p>\n

While this blow to the ride-hailing giant\u2019s business might come as a surprise to some, it has been brewing for over six years.<\/span><\/p>\n

Uber entered Brussels in 2014 with UberPop, where private individuals could register to transport people for a fee. But a year later, local taxi company Taxis Vert<\/a> filed a lawsuit against it and the court ruled that such a service didn\u2019t comply with regulations.<\/p>\n

Uber reformed its services in Brussels following the suit and has since only worked with drivers who have an VVB professional license \u2014 the same license held by limousine drivers. <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>But that doesn\u2019t seem to have appeased courts, as they\u2019ve now ruled that the 2015 cease-and-desist order <\/span>also<\/i> applies to the VVB drivers who work for Uber.<\/span><\/p>\n

What does this mean for Uber drivers in Brussels?<\/h3>\n

According to an official statement by the company, almost 2,000 drivers will loose \u201ctheir opportunity to generate income.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDe facto this concerns 95 percent of our drivers,\u201d told an Uber spokesperson to De Standaard.<\/p>\n

Following the news, many Uber drivers have taken to the streets in Brussels to protest the new ruling.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMore than 2,000 drivers have to support their families, pay their rent and the credit for their car, just like all other drivers. <\/span>But apparently we are illegal,\u201d said a driver to local news outlet Bruzz<\/a>. <\/span>\u201cTechnology is advancing, but we just keep going backwards. <\/span>That is not normal. <\/span>I have no words for it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Do not #drive<\/a> to #Brussels<\/a> today, cause #uber<\/a> drivers are blocking all main roads. Here Rue de la Loi. #news<\/a>pic.twitter.com\/1RVgPDUtfl<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Decio Denis Bernardo (@DecioBernardo) November 25, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Laurent Slits, the CEO of Uber in Belgium, was understandably not happy about the decision. He made his stance crystal clear in a statement, calling out Brussels\u2019 backwardness:<\/span><\/p>\n

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This ruling is based on outdated regulations that predate the arrival of smartphones and which the government has promised to reform for seven years. We are very concerned because 2,000 Brussels VVB drivers will lose the opportunity to generate income from Friday.<\/p>\n

We urge the Brussels government to reform the sector quickly so that drivers can continue to work and provide livelihoods for their families.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

What does this mean for Uber\u2019s future in Europe?<\/h3>\n

This latest clash in Brussels is just the latest one in a long line of incidents. The company has fought a series of legal battles across Europe over how it employs its drivers, how it fits within regulations, and whether it unfairly competes with local taxi associations.<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s name a few examples:<\/p>\n