05/03/2008 (Agence Europe) - Poland and Ukraine reached an agreement on Tuesday 4 March to facilitate local border traffic between them, which had been heavily disrupted following Poland's entry into the Schengen area in December (EUROPE 9596). A card with an electronic chip will allow Ukrainian nationals to spend up to 60 days in Poland on the condition that they have medical insurance. This reciprocal agreement is likely to affect 1.5 million Ukrainians and 800 000 Polish nationals in the areas situated less than 50 kilometres from the border (which is 535 kilometres long). The agreement will need to be approved by the EU before the two countries can conclude it definitively. The Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk intends to sign the agreement at the end of March on a visit to Kiev. The two countries will also ask the EU to approve the formation of joint Ukrainian-Polish border patrols and the construction of 6 to 8 new border crossing points (in addition to the current 12) with a view to Euro 2012, which will be held jointly by the two countries. (B.C.)