Micromobility – including electric scooters (e-scooters), e-bikes and similar light vehicles – has exploded across Europe in recent years, prompting a patchwork of new rules. Brussels and national governments are responding with a mix of EU-wide initiatives and country-by-country regulations. At EU level, one of the first major moves was a revision of the motor insurance directive that took effect in January 2024. The new rule requires third-party liability insurance for any “motor vehicle exclusively powered by mechanical means” that exceeds 25 km/h or 25 kg in weight. In practice this means that most high-speed e-scooters and even heavier e-bikes used on public roads must now carry insurance across the EU.
Toward Unified EU-Wide Safety Standards for Micromobility
Beyond insurance, the European Commission has signaled plans to harmonize safety and technical standards for personal mobility devices (PMDs). A November 2024 EC-commissioned study proposed creating a single EU approval framework for all electrically powered vehicles under 250 kg and 25 km/h (covering standing and seated e-scooters, cargo e-bikes, hoverboards, etc.). This would replace the current situation where most e-scooters fall outside vehicle-type-approval rules (these are handled only by vague Machinery Directive requirements or not at all), leaving each country to set its own specs. In line with that idea, the recently enacted EU Batteries Regulation (2023/1542) directs the Commission to “prepare rules on the safety of micromobility devices” based on existing national and local experience. Taken together, these signals indicate that the EU is gearing up to impose uniform technical standards (for example, speed-limiters, brake/lighting requirements and stability tests) on e-scooters and similar vehicles in the coming years. Road safety advocates have urged that such EU standards include a 20 km/h top speed, mandatory brakes, lights and rider protections (helmets, minimum age of 16, no riding under the influence or with passengers). EU agencies have also highlighted a safety gap: 119 EU road deaths in 2022 involved “motorised micro-mobility” users (mostly e-scooters), underscoring the need for tighter common rules.
Infrastructure as the Backbone of EU Micromobility
At the same time, the EU is pushing cities and member states to invest in infrastructure that can safely accommodate micromobility. The new Urban Mobility Framework (2021) and related EU funding programs emphasize better cycle lanes, parking zones and integration with public transport. For example, the revamped Trans-European Transport Network rules (2024) actually require that national authorities include active mobility infrastructure when building or upgrading TEN‑T corridors. And EU budgets are increasingly earmarked for cycling and micro-mobility projects. Overall, EU-level action is a mix of “carrot and stick”: setting up insurance and safety requirements while directing more funds to protected bike lanes and education campaigns.
France
On top of EU-wide measures, each member state has its own recent regulations. In France, a comprehensive micromobility law was first adopted in 2019 (defining e-scooters as a legal category) and has been tightened over time. Current rules in France cap scooters at 25 km/h (6 km/h in pedestrian zones) and generally allow them only on bike lanes, paths or roads (not sidewalks). Riders must carry lights and reflectors, wear a visible vest in poor visibility, obey a 0.5‰ alcohol limit, and – notably – have mandatory liability insurance. Helmets are strongly recommended for all riders and mandatory on faster roads, though not required by law for slow roads. In late 2024 France announced a new regulatory package (for implementation by 2025) to improve safety on e-scooters. Key changes include raising the minimum rider age from 12 to 14, significantly increasing fines for sidewalk riding and dangerous parking, and creating a national micromobility observatory to monitor accidents and adoption.
Even stricter action has occurred at the city level. In Paris, a September 2023 referendum (albeit with low turnout) led to a ban on shared scooter rentals. From Sept 1, 2023, no free-floating rental e-scooters were allowed on Paris streets, in effect halting operators like Lime, Dott and Tier. (Privately owned scooters remain legal under the national rules.) Paris had already enforced tough rules in 2020 by limiting operators and requiring 20 km/h caps and designated parking racks. The ban reflected public safety concerns – Paris saw 459 electric scooter accidents in 2022 (with 3 fatalities) – and was met with industry complaints, arguing for better regulation rather than a full ban. In other French cities, local authorities also require scooters to use cycle paths or roads, not sidewalks, and impose parking rules to prevent sidewalk clutter.
Germany
In Germany, e-scooters were legalized nationwide in mid-2019 with a fixed set of rules. German law treats e-scooters as a new category of motor vehicle, requiring type-approval and a mandatory liability insurance sticker (the familiar small yellow plate). By law, German e-scooters must not exceed 20 km/h and 500 W, and they may be ridden on cycle paths (if available) or on roads when no bike lane exists. Riders as young as 14 can ride them independently (no driving license needed, though under 12 no use at all). Unlike some neighbors, Germany does not require helmets or vehicle registration for e-scooters – helmets are encouraged but optional – but it prohibits drinking and doubles riding. German cities enforce parking rules and have authority to fine or impound scooters left blocking sidewalks.
The Netherlands
The Netherlands has long been the toughest EU country for e-scooters – in fact, until 2025 no ordinary e-scooter was legal on public roads. They were mostly classified as mopeds and banned unless heavily modified. That changed in 2023–25 with new laws. From July 2025, the Netherlands will allow approved electric scooters on public roads and bike paths, but only if they carry a special blue license plate (treating them as “special mopeds”). The new rules mandate that any scooter used publicly must be inspected by the RDW (the vehicle authority) and meet technical criteria: max 25 km/h, motor ≤4 kW, appropriate brakes, lights, horn, stability, etc. Once registered, a plate is issued (transitional fee ~€18). Unapproved models remain illegal. The first EU-approved Dutch scooter (the Selana Alpha) was only certified in July 2025, illustrating the cautious approach. Notably, Netherlands also recently began requiring helmets for fast mopeds (blue-plate vehicles) since Jan 2023, which will apply to high-speed scooters too. Operators in Dutch cities are now preparing to retrofit fleet scooters with license plates and CE compliance as the July deadline approaches.
Italy
Italy is another major market that moved recently. In November 2024 Italy passed a sweeping road-safety overhaul focused on two-wheelers. Under the new law, e-scooter riders must wear helmets at all times and have mandatory insurance, just like motorcyclists. E-scooters themselves will require license plates and can no longer use bike lanes or pedestrian zones – riders must use streets on the right side instead. The government explicitly banned e-scooters from cycle lanes and footpaths, treating them more like mopeds than bicycles. The changes were a reaction to rising accidents: Italy’s national statistics agency (ISTAT) reported a 15% rise in e-scooter injury crashes from 2022 to 2023 (3,365 injuries and 21 deaths in 2023, up from 2,929 and 16 in 2022). Rental companies quickly criticized the Italian rules as onerous (licensing and indicators for scooters; even proposals to require turn signals on bicycles were floated) but the law awaits implementing decrees.
A Patchwork Across Europe: Other Countries’ Approaches
Elsewhere in Europe, rules vary by country but often follow similar themes. For example, the Spanish traffic authority has set a 25 km/h limit nationwide but lets cities set details locally. Many Spanish cities impose their own rules – in Barcelona, as of February 2025 all e-scooter riders must wear helmets (turning an advisory into a legal requirement). Age limits are typically 14–16 across Europe, and almost every country forbids sidewalk riding unless signage allows it; only a handful of EU states (Greece, Poland, Norway, Bulgaria) even allow pavement use in special cases. In Belgium, for instance, riders must be 16+ and use cycle tracks or roads with a max 25 km/h speed. In the UK (no longer an EU member but often included for context), private e-scooters are illegal on public roads, though rental trials operate in many cities under strict conditions (helmet not required but a driving licence is).
All these regulations have concrete impacts. Users must learn local rules on where to ride and how: helmets in some places, insurance or plates in others, age checks for rentals, zero-alcohol rules etc. It means cross-border travel on an e-scooter is complicated: a model legal in Germany might be forbidden in the Netherlands unless registered. For ride-share operators, the patchwork creates costs and compliance burdens. In France, for instance, operators had to retrofit mandatory brakes, lights and recall systems under 2019 law. In the Netherlands and Italy, companies now face plating and registration programs. Paris’s scooter ban completely wiped out the rental business overnight in that city. To stay legal, operators must geofence speeds (20 km/h in many cities), use dedicated parking zones (Paris contracts required special docking areas) and even restrict riding in certain zones (like Rome banning scooters from pedestrian areas).
For cities and planners, the boom means fitting thousands of new vehicles into the urban fabric. Many EU cities have responded by accelerating bike-lane and parking projects. Protected cycle lanes, often built with EU infrastructure grants, now often double as scooter routes. Municipalities are marking scooter parking corrals to prevent sidewalk clutter. Advocates and even industry groups stress that safer roads are key. For example, the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) notes that better cycling infrastructure “is essential to protect not only e-scooter riders but all vulnerable road users”. And industry data suggests some success: shared-e-scooter injury rates have fallen as operators improved technology and cities expanded lanes. One report from micromobility companies found a 29.8% drop in injuries per kilometer on shared e-scooters between 2021 and 2024, making e-scooters statistically safer than shared e-bikes on a per-kilometer basis. Over 312 million e-scooter trips were recorded in 2024 by shared fleets across Europe – a staggering growth – but injury rates per trip remain relatively low (around 7.1 injuries per million scooter-km, versus 11.1 for e-bikes).
Conclusion: The EU’s Evolving Micromobility Balance
In summary, Europe’s response to micromobility has been multifaceted. At the EU level, regulators are moving toward harmonized technical standards and broader insurance/safety mandates for e-scooters and similar vehicles. On the ground, each country has tailored its own rules on speed limits, helmet use, insurance, and where scooters may go. France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands have led recent changes – in helmet laws, licensing and outright bans – reflecting a balance between embracing green transport and protecting safety. The net effect on users and operators is clear: more bureaucracy (permits, plates, insurance), but in return clearer rules. Cities see both challenges and opportunities: scooters can reduce car traffic if properly integrated, but only if paired with adequate bike lanes, parking infrastructure and enforcement. As one industry group put it, continued safety gains will require “joint efforts from all road users, effective and enforceable rules, and room for innovation”. The evolving European framework – from the latest EU regulations to national laws – reflects an ongoing attempt to find that balance on two wheels.
Sources: A variety of EU and national transportation reports and news articles were used for this summary, including European Commission road safety documents (road-safety.transport.ec.europa.eu, eur-lex.europa.eu), industry analyses (micromobilityforeurope.eu, ridedott.com), and media coverage of recent laws (reuters.com, reuters.com).
