Dozens of Uber Taxi drivers protested in the Belgian capital on Thursday after the Brussels Court of Appeal ruled that the ride-sharing app violated local law. Under the decision, about 2,000 drivers who use the Uber app will have to stop operating by Friday evening.
"As of 6 p.m. on Friday, November 26, only 5% of cars will be available to move you around Brussels (only drivers with a Flemish taxi license)," Uber told its Brussels customers in an email.
"We are disappointed with the court's decision and deeply concerned for drivers as they will lose their ability to earn through the Uber app beginning Friday," the company continued.
The decision is the latest installment in a long-running legal battle pitting Uber against a traditional taxi company, Taxis Verts. In 2015, the UberPop service, which connected non-professional drivers with customers, was banned in Brussels.
But Uber continued to operate its service with licensed drivers. The Brussels Court of Appeal ruled on Wednesday that the 2015 decision in fact applied to all Uber services.
The Brussels government has supported traditional taxis in the impasse. He is accused of delaying regulations that would recognize the licenses of Uber drivers and other ride-sharing services. You can find out more about this at: euronews.com
