The European Parliament adopted by 586 votes to 1, with 7 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on the carriage of goods by road.

Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the agreement.

Road freight transport between the European Union and Ukraine is currently governed by two main mechanisms, namely the bilateral transport agreements between EU Member States and Ukraine and permits granted in the framework the ECMT multilateral quota system within the International Transport Forum. Both these mechanisms impose quotas on hauliers from both sides, regarding transit and bilateral trade.

Since the increased use of the number of transport operations by road compared to normal times would exceed the quotas set out in the bilateral agreements between Member States and Ukraine and given via the ECMT within the International Transport Forum, this Agreement on road transport between the European Union and Ukraine would therefore replace existing bilateral transport agreements between Member States and Ukraine and facilitate the use of alternative transport by road for operators, as bilateral operations and transit would be liberalised between the two Parties.

In addition, since the beginning of the Russian-led war against Ukraine, many Ukrainian drivers are no longer able to follow the administrative procedures related to driver documents such as international driving permit applications or issuances of new documents in the event of lost or stolen documents. This Agreement will enable the two Parties to address these issues under exceptional circumstances.

The Agreement provides for measures that:

- exempt drivers from the requirement to present an international driving permit;

- recognise decisions taken by Ukraine to extend the administrative validity of driver documents and;

- facilitate the exchange of information between the competent authorities of the two Parties with the aim of combatting fraud and forgery of driver documents.

PURPOSE: to conclude, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on the carriage of freight by road.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act.

BACKGROUND: the agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on the carriage of freight by road was signed on 29 June 2022, subject to its conclusion at a later date.

In view of the important disruptions in the transport sector in Ukraine caused by the war of aggression undertaken by Russia, it is necessary to find alternative routes by road for Ukraine to export its stocks of grain, fuel, foodstuffs and other relevant goods.

Given that Member States’ European Conference of Ministers of Transport permits and the bilateral agreements between Member States and Ukraine do not allow for the necessary flexibility for Ukrainian road haulage operators to increase and plan ahead their operations through and with the Union, it is crucial to liberalise the transport of freight by road for bilateral operations and transit.

Furthermore, Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has compromised the possibility for many Ukrainian drivers to follow the administrative procedures related to driver documents, such as international driving permit applications or the issuance of new driver documents in the event they are lost or stolen.

The agreement should be approved on behalf of the Union.

CONTENT: the draft Council decision is aimed at approving, on behalf of the European Union, the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on the carriage of freight by road.

The agreement aims at temporarily facilitating the road transport of goods between and through the territories of the European Union and Ukraine. It also includes measures which aim to facilitate the recognition of driver documents . It provides for specific measures to: (i) exempt drivers from the requirement to present an international driving permit, (ii) recognise decisions taken by Ukraine to extend the administrative validity of driver documents and (iii) facilitate the exchange of information between the competent authorities of the two Parties with the aim of combatting fraud and forgery of driver documents.

The exercise of Union competence pursuant to this Decision and the Agreement will be limited to the period of application of the Agreement. After the end of that period of application, the Union shall immediately cease to exercise that competence and the Member States shall again exercise their competence.

The exercise of Union competence pursuant to this Decision will be without prejudice to the competence of the Member States concerning any ongoing or future negotiations for, or signature or conclusion of, international agreements related to the carriage of goods by road with any other third country.

PURPOSE: to approve the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on the carriage of freight by road.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act.

BACKGROUND: in view of the important disruptions in the transport sector in Ukraine caused by the war of aggression undertaken by Russia, it is necessary to find alternative routes by road for Ukraine to export its stocks of grain, fuel, foodstuffs and other relevant goods.

Given that permits granted in the framework of the European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT) multilateral quota system within the International Transport Forum and existing bilateral agreements with Ukraine do not allow for the necessary flexibility for Ukrainian road haulage operators to increase and plan ahead their operations through and with the European Union, it is crucial to liberalise the transport of freight by road for bilateral operations as well as for transit.

CONTENT: the purpose of this proposal is to approve the conclusion on behalf of the European Union of the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on the carriage of freight by road.

The agreement aims at temporarily facilitating the road transport of goods between and through the territories of the European Union and Ukraine by granting additional transit and haulage rights between the Parties to carriers established in one of the Parties, taking into account the repercussions of the war of aggression waged by Russia against Ukraine and the significant disruption it is causing to the transport sector in the country.

The agreement also includes measures which aim to facilitate the recognition of driver documents . It provides for specific measures to exempt drivers from the requirement to present an international driving permit, recognise decisions taken by Ukraine to extend the administrative validity of driver documents and facilitate the exchange of information between the competent authorities of the two Parties with the aim of combatting fraud and forgery of driver documents.

This road transport agreement would therefore replace the existing bilateral transport agreements between the Member States and Ukraine and would facilitate the use of alternative road routes for transport operators, as bilateral operations and transit would be liberalised between the two parties.