Ukraine and the EU start negotiations on the extension of the transport visa-free regime

EC proposes to extend the agreement for at least 12 months with the possibility of extending it later for another six months

The Ministry of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development and the European Commission are officially launching negotiations on the extension of the Agreement on Liberalization of Freight Transport – transport visa-free regime. This is stated in the statement of the Ministry.

«The Ministry of Reconstruction and the European Commission will be able to officially start negotiations on the extension of the Agreement on the Liberalization of Freight Transport between Ukraine and the EU. The relevant mandate for the negotiations was approved by the EU Council at its meeting on April 29,» the ministry said.

The European Commission proposes to extend the transport visa-free regime for at least 12 months with the possibility of extending it for another six months – until the end of 2025, provided there are no violations of its terms. This means the ability to carry out bilateral transportation without permits at least until June 2025. The official text for discussion will be sent to Ukraine in the near future.

Oleksandr Kubrakov, Deputy Prime Minister for Recovery and Minister of Community Development, Territories and Infrastructure, noted that over the past six months, Ukraine has been working to ensure that the decision to extend the agreement is made on time – by the end of June this year, when the current agreements expire.

«It is important that all changes to the extended agreement are clear, transparent, and do not restrict Ukrainian carriers’ right to freely transport goods to and from Ukraine,» he emphasized.

According to Kubrakov, it is important for the country to retain the ability to carry out freight transportation without permits, as this directly affects the ability to export Ukrainian goods, and thus the ability to support the economy and import the necessary goods.

The EU has created the Ukraine Investment Framework, which is a financial instrument and an integral component of the €50 billion Ukraine Facility. The investment framework is designed to stimulate public and private investment for the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine.