Zelensky instructs Minister of Infrastructure to sign “transport visa-free” with EU

President Volodymyr Zelensky authorized the Minister of Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov to sign an agreement with the European Union on freight transportation by road ("transport visa-free"). This will mean that Ukrainian carriers will no longer need to obtain permits.

This is stated in the relevant decree.

The day before, Deputy Infrastructure Minister Mustafa Nayem said Ukraine would sign a visa-free travel agreement with the EU on June 29. "From June 29 or July 1, our motorists will not have permits to cross the border with the EU or between EU countries. Permits will only be issued in non-EU countries. But we agree that some countries will cancel them, there is an agreement with Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan," he said.

According to him, the freight traffic will increase significantly. Nayem predicts that it will be 5-7 times larger than before the war. All thanks to the fact that Ukrainians will not need special entry permits.

"We donʼt have to print our permits, it is a mutual relationship. If our permits are revoked, so do we," Nayem explained.

• On June 21, the Verkhovna Rada approved in the first reading the draft law № 7420 on amendments to the Customs Code. They are necessary for Ukraine to issue a "customs visa-free" with the European Union. "Customs visa-free" implies that Ukrainian exporters of goods to Europe will be able to do so much faster without being delayed at customs and without drawing up additional documents. In fact, they will be able to issue transit declarations in Ukraine and travel with them to the European Union without hindrance.