The MR tables a bill to register electric scooters and professional e-bikes
Faced with the steady rise in accidents and to tackle the many forms of anti-social behaviour involving electric scooters and electrically assisted bicycles (e-bikes), MR federal MPs Vincent Scourneau, Benoît Piedboeuf and Georges-Louis Bouchez are tabling a bill to make registration compulsory for these vehicles. Specifically, all scooters, regardless of use, will have to be registered. For e-bikes, only those used for professional purposes or as part of rental services will be registered.
The aim: to restore safety in public spaces and put an end to the sense of impunity.
The figures speak for themselves. In 2024, more than 1,700 accidents involving electric scooters were recorded in Belgium, an increase of 8% compared with the previous year, according to the VIAS Institute. This figure is expected to rise further in proportion to the number of scooters in circulation. Too often, victims are left with no recourse: without an identification plate, the offender cannot be traced.
“It is no longer acceptable that users who are injured or suffer material damage in public spaces have no way of identifying the perpetrators of dangerous behaviour,” says federal MP Vincent Scourneau, author of the bill. “Registration, combined with compulsory insurance, will enable better traceability, greater accountability for riders and access to fair compensation for victims.”
The bill specifically targets private or shared electric scooters, as well as e-bikes used in a professional or rental context, in order to avoid unjustified administrative burden for private cyclists while targeting the most intensive and risky uses. Registration will be conditional on civil liability insurance.
“This is about striking a balance between freedom of movement and responsibility. We cannot accept that some motorised, often anonymous users can ride around without rules or consequences,” adds MR group leader in the Chamber Benoît Piedboeuf. “This law is a concrete response to the expectations of many citizens and mayors who denounce the decline in safety and civility in public spaces.”
The bill also provides for strict protection of personal data and deterrent penalties in the event of offences or repeat offences. It represents a modern response to the challenges of micromobility, aimed at fostering peaceful coexistence between pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and new users.