The European Commission proposed updates to the agreements with Ukraine and Moldova on bilateral road transport rights to the EU Council on Tuesday 5 March. The aim is to improve their practical implementation, while maintaining their objectives and scope.
The initial agreements, signed in June 2022 and extended until the end of June 2024, help to secure supply chains following the closure or blockage of traditional transport routes as a result of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The agreements would be extended until at least the end of 2025.
In November 2023, Polish hauliers demonstrated at the border with Ukraine to protest against the agreement (see EUROPE 13312/5).
“These agreements may affect differently road transport operators across the Union. This is why [...] we have also looked at how we can improve the agreement further, by making its implementation and enforcement easier and introducing a safeguard clause in case of negative impacts on regional markets in the EU”, explained Adina Vălean, the European Commissioner for Transport, in a press release.
This clause suspends the agreement in a specific geographical area.
The Commission plans to make it compulsory to carry documents proving that a transport operator is authorised to perform international carriage and that the transport complies with the agreement. It also makes it compulsory to carry specific documents certifying that an unladen operation is directly linked to a transit or bilateral operation.
Finally, it proposes to step up the fight against fraud or falsification of driver documents and road safety offences. These offences could result in the withdrawal of the licence.
If the Council approves these proposals, it will have to give the Commission a mandate to negotiate with Ukraine and Moldova. (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)