The Verkhovna Rada has ratified the Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union on participation in the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility. The Agreement was signed in Lviv in June this year during a meeting between Oleksandr Kubrakov, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine and Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development, and Adina Vălean, European Commissioner for Transport.

The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) is part of the Solidarity Lanes initiative. It will help improve transport links between Ukraine and the EU and facilitate exports from Ukraine to the whole of Europe. It will help attract EU funding to support the development of trans-European networks in transport, energy and digital services.

As a participating country, Ukraine can now also apply for European Commission grants (up to 50% of project costs). Particular emphasis will be placed on the implementation of infrastructure projects already approved by the European Commission to modernise rail and road border crossings with Poland, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia.

This includes the following border crossings:

• Mostyska – Medyka
• Yahodyn – Dorohusk
• Rava-Ruska – Hrebenne
• Krakovets – Korczowa
• Chop – Čierna nad Tisou
• Batiovo – Eperjeske
• Chop – Záhony
• Luzhanka – Beregsurány
• Porubne – Siret
• Vadul-Siret – Vicșani

The total grant for the modernisation of all border crossings amounts to more than EUR 82 million.