Negative effects caused by the practical implementation of the EU-Ukraine and EU-Moldova agreements on the carriage of freight by road

Subject: Negative effects caused by the practical implementation of the EU-Ukraine and EU- Moldova agreements on the carriage of freight by road

Road haulage organisations from several Member States have recently raised concerns about the practical implementation of the EU-Ukraine agreement on the carriage of freight by road. According to them, the suspension of the bilateral permit system’s effects went far beyond its original intentions and is currently causing serious damage to the EU market. They say it is harming the competitiveness of EU road transport operators due to the massive increase in transport operations within the EU operated by non-EU hauliers. Given the foregoing:

1. Is the Commission aware of these negative effects?

2. Does it monitor the rate of increase in transport operations by non-EU hauliers as a consequence of the suspension of the bilateral permit systems with Ukraine and Moldova?

3. Does it intend to take measures to protect the interests and competitiveness of EU road transport operators in this regard?

Submitted: 29.11.2023

Answer given by Ms Vălean on behalf of the European Commission

(25 April 2024)

1. The main purpose of the EU-Ukraine Agreement for the carriage of freight by road (1) is for Ukraine to develop alternative ways to export its products to the EU and third countries, in order to compensate for the country’s partial loss of sea transport alternatives through the Black Sea. The EU-Moldova Agreement (2) allows alternative transport routes for Moldovan products, since traditional transport routes through Ukraine have been blocked by the war. Both Agreements are temporary and only cover bilateral transport and transit, and no cross-trade or cabotage operations. Consequently, from the data it has the Commission has only seen a limited impact on the EU market from the two agreements.

2. Both imports and exports by road from Ukraine and Moldova to the EU have significantly increased following the entry into force of the Agreement. This shows that overall business opportunities for both EU and Ukrainian/Moldovan road transport operators have increased.

3. The Commission proposed on 5 March 2024 to extend the EU-Moldova Road Transport Agreement, whose benefit for both Parties was never disputed, until 31 December 2025. The EU and Moldova agreed to extend the agreement on 26 March 2024 (3). For the EU-Ukraine Road Transport Agreement, the same prolongation was proposed, but together with measures to improve the implementation of the Agreement, and a safeguard clause which would allow to suspend the Agreement in a geographical area in case of a major disturbance of the road transport market in this area as a result of the Agreement. The discussions regarding the prolongation of the EU-Ukraine agreement are currently in progress.

1 ∙ ⸱ https://eur-lex.europa.eu/EN/legal-content/summary/eu-ukraine-agreement-on-the-carriage-of-freight-by-road.html

2 ∙ ⸱ https://eur-lex.europa.eu/EN/legal-content/summary/eu-moldova-agreement-on-the-carriage-of-freight-by-road.html

3 ∙ ⸱ https://neighbourhood-enlargement.ec.europa.eu/news/eu-and-moldova-extend-road-transport-agreement-until-31-december-2025-2024-03-26_en