Uber and other providers of ride-hailing services in Brussels will soon have to get their drivers to pass a round of screening tests as part of new regulations currently in the works.
New rules approved by the Brussels-Capital Region on Thursday would require prospective drivers to obtain a certificate of competence and of good morals.
The changes would put Uber drivers under the same regulations as taxi drivers, who had regularly denounce the imbalance which they argued put them at a disadvantage.
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Earlier versions of the new rules also included plans to make Uber and ride-hailing app drivers undergo a psychological test, but the measure was scrapped from the final version.
The changes would face Uber and its competitors with fines if their drivers are found to be in noncompliance with the requirements.
Concerns about passenger security engulfed the global tech firm after releasing first-ever safety report, which recorded nearly 6,000 incidents of sexual assault and 464 reports of rape over a two year period.
They would also give regional authorities more insight into the companies' working and recruiting practices since the latter would be obliged to report hirings, dismissals and other service statistics to regional authorities.
Following its approval on Thursday by regional authorities in Brussels, the new regulations must now be reviewed by the Council of State, the country's highest administrative court.
Gabriela Galindo
The Brussels Times
