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Ukraine-EU agreement liberalising carriage of freight by road increases Ukrainian road exports by at least 30%

Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine, posted 19 December 2023 13:02

Ukraine presented key indicators of the implementation of the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on the carriage of freight by road during the second meeting of the Joint Committee of the Agreement with the participation of the EU countries and the European Commission.

“The Agreement on the carriage of freight by road, the so-called ‘transport visa-free regime’, is one of the key results of the EU’s support for our country in the field of transport and export logistics, and thus for our economy. Thanks to the Agreement, exports of goods by road to the EU increased by 30% this year compared to 2021, when the permit system was in place. At the same time, the Agreement is the main element of the Solidarity Lanes to support grain exports in the absence of stable alternative routes and the sea blockade,” said Oleksandr Kubrakov, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine and Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development.

Oleksandr Kubrakov stressed that the violation of the Agreement, in particular the blockade of crossing points by Polish protesters, had a negative impact on the Ukrainian economy and exports.

“Full unblocking of the border and prevention of similar situations in the future should become a principle of economic security of our region,” the Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration concluded.

Key results of the Agreement signed on 29 June 2022:

  • Exports of Ukrainian goods by road to the EU increased by 40% in 2022 compared to the previous year and by 30% in 2023 compared to 2021;
  • Imports of goods to Ukraine from the EU increased by 11% in 2022 and by 25% in 2023 compared to 2021 – before the signing of the Agreement;
  • 48% more goods were exported to the EU by road in the first year and a half of the Agreement than in the same period before it was signed. Imports increased by 44% during this period.

As a reminder, the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on the carriage of freight by road was signed on 29 June 2022 for a period of one year. In 2023, it was extended for another year – until 30 June 2024. The key content of the Agreement is the ability of Ukrainian carriers to transport to EU countries without permits, as was required before the signing. For their part, EU carriers have the same opportunity when importing goods to Ukraine.

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