2,000 Uber drivers may face unemployment because of the recent Brussel Appeal Court ruling, fining the ride-hailing service $336,000.

Uber Affected by 2015 Ban on Private and Professional Drivers Offering Taxi Services

According to a story by CNBC, Uber has just been ordered to spot its ride-hailing service in Brussels, the capital of Belgium. The court initially ruled that a previous 2015 ban in place for private individuals offering taxi services should also be applied to professional drivers.

Uber took it to Twitter to announce that users will no longer be able to hail an Uber ride in the EU capital. The company also said that they are "disappointed" with regards to the court's decision to close their app in Brussels.

Legal Battles Being Faced by Uber

Uber also announced that the decision directly goes against the European Commission's digital and green ambitions. To clarify, the European Commission is the acting executive arm of the European Union itself. Uber has long been fighting different legal battles stretching across Europe regarding how the company employs drivers and how they comply with taxi regulations. They said that although drivers enjoy the flexibility of being self-employed, other drivers say they are struggling to earn enough money through the app.

Petition to Save 2,000 Professional Drivers in the City

On top of struggles on earning money, some drivers also report missing out on employee benefits like annual leave and sick pay. Uber has asked the public to sign a petition to save 2,000 professional drivers using the service within the city. Delivery Hero, a food delivery app, co-founder, and CEO Niklas Oestberg, said that he is also criticizing this decision taking it to Twitter to voice his stand. Oestberg said that Europe's "anti-tech" stance is now hurting their own tech progress, pointing out Uber changed the taxi industry 10 years ago.

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Drivers Blocked the Main Street Landing

Drivers directly blocked the main street landing from the European institutions located in the center of Brussels in order for them to protest. The mobility authority of Brussels advised drivers to avoid traveling throughout the city.

The Brussels government made an agreement on a proposal to change the region's taxi and private car industry. The authorities stated that they are now actively looking for a temporary solution for Uber despite none being formally announced.

Rudi Vervoort, the minister-president of Brussels, said that Uber has to guarantee quality service to new habits of users and customers. According to the article by Bloomberg, the court gave Uber a fine of $336,000. Two of the company's units are expected to pay over $169K each as it now backed a complaint by Taxis Verts, a taxi firm in Brussels.

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Written by Urian B.