Brussels street taxi drivers are on strike this Thursday in Brussels, at the call of the Belgian Limousine Drivers' Union (UCLB), to demand urgent reform of the legal framework governing their activity.
A gathering began at 09:00 on Boulevard Pacheco, and a procession will depart at 11:30 towards Place Poelaert. A delegation of 30 taxis will then head towards the Brussels Parliament in the early afternoon.
According to the UCLB (Union of Taxi Drivers of Belgium), the sector is facing a critical situation, marked by rising fuel prices, continuously increasing commissions charged by some platforms, and a regulatory framework deemed unbalanced.
The organisation believes that many drivers are now experiencing severe financial hardship, with some even on the verge of bankruptcy.
Drivers also denounce the account freezes they claim are carried out unilaterally and opaquely by certain platforms.
Their demands include the implementation of a guaranteed minimum net price excluding commissions, a strict cap on commissions, an end to abusive account freezes, and a reform of the street taxi statute and, more broadly, the current ordinance.
Other demands include access to dedicated taxi lanes, the ability to transfer or assign a license, and equal treatment for street taxis and taxis from taxi ranks.
UCLB spokesperson Asmaa Snaibi described the financial situation as "particularly alarming" and assured that the sector would remain mobilised in the coming weeks until concrete answers were obtained.
The Brussels-Capital/Ixelles police warned that traffic disruptions are expected on Thursday between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. between Boulevard Pacheco and Place Poelaert, along the route of the procession.
