Ukraine and EU extend ‘transport visa-free regime’ until March 2027

The announcement was made by the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development, as reported by Ukrinform.

“On September 25, the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine and the European Commission agreed to extend the Road Transport Agreement for an additional 15 months. It means the partial liberalization of freight transportation between parties will continue till 31 March 2027. Liberalization of transportation does not require special permits to perform bilateral and transit road transport operations,” the statement reads.

According to Oleksii Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration and Minister for Communities and Territories Development, the share of Ukraine’s trade with the EU conducted by road transport has increased by nearly 55% since the agreement came into effect—demonstrating a direct positive impact of the arrangement on both economies.

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

The agreement also provides for further alignment of Ukrainian legislation with European standards, including the gradual introduction of smart tachographs for new trucks, training for transport company managers, and requirements regarding the professional reputation of carriers.

As reported earlier, the Agreement on the Liberalization of Freight Transport between Ukraine and the European Union was signed in June 2022. In June 2024, the agreement was extended for the third time. At that time, both parties agreed that the liberalization would be automatically prolonged until the end of 2025, provided there were no violations or negative impacts on either side.