Ukraine and the European Union extend “transport visa-free” regime

On 25 September, the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine and the European Commission agreed to extend the Agreement on the Carriage of Freight by Road for 15 months. As a result, the “transport visa-free” agreement will remain in effect for at least until March 2027. This means that Ukrainian hauliers and those from the European Union will continue to not require special permits for bilateral and transit haulage.

The Management Committee meeting of the Agreement was attended by Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine – Minister for Communities and Territories Development Oleksii Kuleba, and Deputy Minister Serhii Derkach.

“Stable road freight transport between Ukraine and the EU is a guarantee of Ukraine’s economic stability. It is via roads that we export the majority of our value-added goods, which form a significant portion of our budget revenues. No less important is our ability to import vital cargoes for Ukraine without hindrance. Since the Agreement entered into force, the share of Ukraine’s trade with the EU by road transport has increased by almost 55%, and this is the direct positive impact of our agreements on the economies of both sides. I am grateful to our European Union partners for the constructive dialogue and understanding that the Agreement benefits both parties, as liberalisation ensures the resilience of bilateral trade,” emphasised Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine and Minister for Communities and Territories Development Oleksii Kuleba.

The extension of the Agreement was previously supported by the majority of European Union member states.

The extension of the Agreement does not involve the introduction of updated rules for its implementation. As before, hauliers from Ukraine and EU countries must comply with the liberalisation norms. In particular, this concerns the marking of lorries, possession of a licence, and cargo documentation.

As part of the extension of the Liberalisation Agreement, Ukraine has committed to continuing the implementation of road transport regulations in line with its Euro-integration obligations. Thus, by the end of 2026, Ukraine must implement key provisions on companies’ business reputation, the use of smart tachographs, and training for transport company managers. This concerns the provisions of Law No. 4347, which was adopted in March this year.

Importantly, after 1 July 2026, newly registered freight vehicles in Ukraine must be equipped with smart tachographs.

“The extension of the ‘transport visa-free’ regime is a consistent result of our work, both in terms of complying with the Agreement’s provisions, monitoring its effectiveness, and adapting our legislation to EU standards. I am grateful to the hauliers for their conscientious adherence to the Agreement; we must continue to maintain a high standard in terms of integrity and quality of haulage. Importantly, as part of the extension of the ‘transport visa-free’ regime, it has been agreed to conduct an independent study on the Agreement’s impact on the economy. We have already expressed our readiness to participate in this process to ensure the most objective presentation of the ‘transport visa-free’ results,” stressed Serhii Derkach.

Background

The Agreement on the Carriage of Freight by Road between Ukraine and the European Union (‘transport visa-free’ regime) was signed in June 2022 as a response to russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the destruction of logistics chains. The liberalisation of haulage facilitates Ukraine’s access to global markets, ensures stable transit of goods through EU countries, and strengthens trade ties between Ukraine and the EU.

Traditionally, the Agreement was valid for one year. In June 2024, the arrangements were extended for the third time. At that time, the parties agreed that the liberalisation would be automatically extended until the end of 2025 in the absence of negative impact on the parties to the Agreement and in the absence of violations.

A special Working Group was established to monitor the Agreement’s impact. It includes representatives from the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development, EU member states, and the European Commission. The work on extending the Agreement and ensuring its compliance is coordinated by Deputy Minister Serhii Derkach.