Cyprus has raised the minimum age for riding electric scooters from 14 to 17, in a bid to curb accidents and tighten control over the fast-growing trend.
Lawmakers approved the tougher rules on Thursday, bringing the age limit into line with the threshold for a learner driver’s permit. The move comes amid mounting concern over safety risks—particularly involving younger riders.
Under the new law, e-scooters and other micro-mobility devices must meet European safety standards and display proper certification. Police will also be given the power to confiscate scooters on the spot if users break the rules.
But calls for a full ban were ultimately rejected, despite warnings from some MPs that accidents are becoming more frequent and enforcement remains patchy.
Instead, a majority in Parliament argued that the real issue is not the scooters themselves, but the lack of infrastructure and clear oversight. They pointed out that plans for registration systems and insurance schemes—first floated back in 2022—have still not been put in place.
Supporters of the new rules insisted scooters remain a cheap and environmentally friendly alternative to cars, warning that overly harsh restrictions could undermine efforts to cut congestion and pollution in Cyprus’s cities.
