"Transport visa-free regime" with Ukraine: the EU proposes to tighten requirements for Kyiv
Kyiv • UNN
The European Commission has proposed to extend the Road Transport Agreement with Ukraine, allowing EU countries to temporarily suspend it under certain conditions.
Today, the European Commission unveiled a proposal to extend the agreement on road transportation with Ukraine, but with certain adjustments. This was reported by UNN with reference to a press release from the EU executive body.
Details
The proposed amendments stipulate that some EU countries will be able to suspend agreements.
The Commission explains that "the proposals include updating the agreement with Ukraine "in order to improve its practical implementation and enforcement, while maintaining its objectives and scope."
At the same time, the Commission stated that it had decided to change the agreement with Ukraine "based on an exchange of views with Member States, Ukraine and stakeholders".
Changes are being proposed:
- make it mandatory to have documents confirming that the transport operator is duly authorized to carry out international transportation and that the transportation is carried out in accordance with the agreement;
- make it mandatory to have special documents certifying that the transaction without cargo is directly related to a transit or bilateral transaction, as required by the agreement;
- strengthen control over the compliance of road carriers with their obligations related to operations permitted by the agreement, the fight against fraud and forgery of driving documents, as well as offenses related to road safety: such offenses may lead to the revocation of the license;
- to add a new safeguard clause: if there is a significant violation in the national road transportation market in a particular geographic region that may be related to the agreement, the agreement may be suspended in that geographic region.
The Commission emphasized that the agreement was very positive for both the EU and Ukraine, allowing them to significantly increase their exports to each other's markets.
Temporary transport agreements with Ukraine and Moldova have facilitated the movement of exports and imports of the two countries (...). At the same time, they can have different impacts on road transport operators across the Union. That is why in today's proposal for an agreement with Ukraine, we have also considered how we can improve the agreement further by simplifying its implementation and enforcement and introducing a safeguard clause in case of negative impact on regional markets in the EU
Currently, the EU Council is considering proposals for amendments to the agreements. Once approved, the European Commission will begin discussions with Ukraine and Moldova.
Addendum
The agreement on transport visa-free travel was signed in the summer of 2022. It made it possible to avoid slowing down the export of Ukrainian products through automobile checkpoints.
In March 2023, the agreement on liberalization of road freight transportation between Ukraine and the EU was extended until June 30, 2024.
Since the start of the "transport visa-free regime," Ukrainian exports by road to the EU have increased significantly. In addition, this has led to an increase in Ukrainian imports from the EU.
One of the main demands of Polish carriers blocking the western border of Ukraine together with farmers is the abolition of "transport visa-free regime" for Ukraine.
Recall
Polish President Andrzej Duda said that farmers' protests against the access of Ukrainian goods to the Polish market is a European problemthat the European Commission should solve.
