Ukraine: Commission requests Council mandate for negotiating road transport agreements with Ukraine and Moldova

In a proposal sent to the Council today, the Commission proposes to open negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova with a view to concluding road freight transport agreements between the EU and both countries. With traditional transport routes in the region now closed, the initiative seeks to secure supply chains, including food security, following Russia's unprovoked and unjustified aggression against Ukraine. Commissioner for Transport, Adina Vălean, said: “Today, we propose to conclude transport agreements with Ukraine and Moldova by partly liberalising road transport for their hauliers in the EU. This will allow Ukraine to shift important export goods from sea routes – currently unavailable due to the Russian military aggression. The blockage of the Black Sea ports has also negatively affected Moldova, which has lost essential transport routes through Ukraine for its own exports, and whose economy has been heavily impacted by the war in Ukraine. Our proposal will provide immediate relief to the economies of these two countries.” The Commission proposes more flexibility for road freight transport, allowing Ukrainian, Moldovan and EU hauliers to transit through and operate between each other's territories. The proposal also includes clauses on the recognition of Ukrainian driving licences and certificates of professional competence to further support Ukrainian drivers.