Members of the European Parliament have voted to ratify the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on the carriage of freight by road. After the approval of the document by the European Parliament, it will have to be ratified by the European Council.
The Agreement entered into force even before the completion of ratification procedures – after signing in Lyon in June. It eliminates the need for Ukrainian carriers to obtain permits for bilateral and transit transportation to the EU.
Thanks to this Agreement, Ukrainian drivers will continue to use their existing Ukrainian driving licenses and certificates of professional competence to drive in the EU without the need to obtain an international driving license.
The Agreement between the EU and Ukraine is valid for 1 year. Ukraine and the EU are currently working on the extension of this period for another year. Technical consultations are in progress.
This Agreement allows the EU and Ukraine to streamline transport logistics, which was disrupted by russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Since then, the priority for the Ministry of Infrastructure is to find, develop and maintain the smooth functioning of alternative logistics routes.
The result of the “transport visa-free regime” is an increase in trade turnover. In July-September, the physical volume of cargo exports and imports increased by 54% and 67% respectively compared to April-June. In monetary terms, cargo exports increased by 3.3% and imports by 38%.
Since the beginning of the “transport visa-free regime” with the EU, the number of road carriers crossing the state border of Ukraine in the direction of the European Union has also increased. In July-August, their number increased by 21% compared to May-June and by 44% compared to the same period in 2021. Carriers also began to cross the border 32% more frequently. (Government portal/Business World Magazine)