Ukraine and the European Commission have extended the transport visa-free agreement for a year, with the possibility of automatic renewal until the end of 2025, according to Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal on Telegram and the Ministry of Restoration.
It is noted that the agreement was signed today in Brussels with the bilateral participation of representatives from Ukraine and the EU.
As a result, freight transportation from Ukraine to the EU and from the EU to Ukraine will no longer require special permits.
In particular, the updated agreement also includes a number of mutual obligations regarding the availability of transportation licenses and the marking of trucks. This applies to all those performing transportation in accordance with the Agreement.
It is a matter of:
- The marking of trucks performing transportation under the Agreement;
- The requirement for all drivers to have a transportation license or other supporting documents during transportation;
- The obligation for carriers traveling empty to collect goods to have supporting documents for the goods they plan to import.
"The transport visa-free regime has already strengthened our economy. In the year and a half since the agreement has been in effect, Ukraine has exported nearly 50% more goods to the EU than in the same period before its signing," the Ministry of Restoration's statement reads.
As the Ukrainian Prime Minister noted, this includes goods and components needed by Ukrainian manufacturers to establish their production process.
What preceded
At the end of April, the Council of the European Union adopted a decision allowing negotiations with Ukraine regarding the extension of the transport visa-free.
Indeed, the EC's proposal for extending the transport visa-free regime included several nuances for carriers.