MEPs approve updated EU-Ukraine road transport agreement

The EU-Ukraine road transport agreement concluded in June 2022 has proven to be an effective EU response to the transport sector disruptions caused by the Russia’s unjustified invasion of Ukraine, MEPs agreed. It has helped Ukraine, but also EU hauliers, transit through and operate between each other’s territories, without the need for certain permits.

As Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine continues and further disrupts Ukraine’s transport sector, Transport and Tourism Committee MEPs backed an 18-month prolongation of the EU‑Ukraine road transport agreement by 32 votes to six and with two abstentions.

MEPs also supported the proposal to update the agreement to address a number of implementation challenges. The new agreement requires drivers to carry documents authorising international carriage and also to put a sticker on their windscreen to show that their road transport operation is covered by the agreement. It also introduces a safeguard clause allowing the deal to be suspended in a specific geographical area if the road transport market there experiences major disturbances.

Next steps

Now that it has been approved by the Transport and Tourism Committee, the agreement will be put to a vote by Parliament as a whole during the next plenary session, in June. The updated agreement has been provisionally applied since June 2024 and is scheduled to expire at the end of 2025.

Background

According to the European Commission, the EU-Ukraine road transport agreement has facilitated the transport of vital goods such as fuel and humanitarian aid into Ukraine, and enabled Ukrainian exports such as grain, ore, and steel to reach the EU and beyond. Ukraine’s road export volume has increased by about two thirds, while import volumes from the EU have risen by approximately 300,000 tonnes per month.

More information: European Parliament