Uber deemed illegal in the capital region by the Commercial Court of Brussels

According to the judge of the Commercial Court of Brussels (Dutch-speaking), Uber is illegal in the capital, reported La Libre Belgique and La Dernière Heure last Thursday, January 3rd.

Only drivers with a valid taxi license can offer the transport service, according to a judgment in late December.

The judge clarified at the end of December a decision taken in September 2015 that led to the ban of one of the two services of the American giant, namely Uberpop.

The judgment on December 18th considered illegal the rides entrusted to “drivers who do not have the authorization provided for in Article 3 of the decree of April 27th, 1995, regardless of the designation given to the service by Uber.

UberX is also affected by this judgment. However, another trial is still ongoing on the French-speaking side.

Uber risks being fined 10,000 euros per infringement, with a maximum of one million euros.

It seems apparent from the judgment — which news agency Belga was given — that there is still uncertainty as to whether Uber X is a taxi or limousine service, the latter being the subject of another type of license.