EU Extends "Transport Visa-Free" Agreement with Ukraine for a Year

The European Commission and Ukraine have extended the liberalisation agreement for freight transport, known as the "transport visa-free" agreement, for another year. According to the signed document, this legal regime for freight transport between Ukraine and the European Union will remain in effect until at least 30 June 2025, as announced by the European Commission.

“This is another powerful show of EU solidarity to strengthen Ukraine's resilience,” the statement reads.

Additionally, several new provisions have been included to improve the implementation of the agreement. Transport operators are now required to carry documents confirming their authorisation for international transport and compliance with the agreement. Also, empty operations must be directly related to transit or bilateral operations as stipulated by the agreement.

Furthermore, there will be increased monitoring of transport operators' commitments to combat fraud, counterfeit driver documents, and violations of road safety rules, which could lead to losing the right to provide transport services under the agreement.

Moreover, a safeguard mechanism has been introduced that allows for the suspension of the agreement in specific geographical regions if the road transport market in those areas experiences significant disruptions related to the agreement.

It is worth noting that the EU and Ukraine signed the "transport visa-free" agreement on 29 June 2022, and in spring 2023, it was extended until 30 June 2024. This agreement eliminates the need for Ukrainian carriers to obtain permits for bilateral and transit transport to EU countries, thus preventing disruptions in the export of Ukrainian goods through road checkpoints.

As reported by The Gaze, it has also been revealed that Ukraine and the EU have completed work on the text of the security guarantees agreement and agreed on its future signing.