Ukraine, Poland discuss amendments to 'visa-free transport' agreement

MOSCOW. Feb 6 (Interfax) - The Polish Infrastructure Ministry has presented draft amendments to the EU-Ukrainian agreement on the carriage of freight by road, also known as the "visa-free transport" agreement, to Ukrainian Deputy Restoration Minister Sergei Derkach, Ukrainian media said, citing the Polish ministry's press service.

"The Polish side has proposed amendments to the EU-Ukraine agreement on the carriage of freight by road, which are aimed at fair and equal terms for all parties," the Polish Infrastructure Ministry said.

According to Polish Deputy Infrastructure Minister Pawel Gancarz, the meeting also addressed terms of the return of empty trucks from Ukraine to Poland through checkpoints. "This still takes impermissibly too much time," Gancarz said.

"I have no doubt that both Poland and Ukraine will ensure unhampered, continuous crossing of the border by trucks and equal terms for both sides in road transportation," the press service quoted Gancarz as saying.

The sides agreed on joint visits to certain checkpoints on the Ukrainian and Polish sides of the border to study the situation on the ground.

Gancarz told Ukrainian Ambassador to Poland Vasily Zvarych earlier that the Polish Infrastructure Ministry would soon submit its proposals to the European Union regarding amendments to the agreement liberalizing transportation between Ukraine and the EU. It has also been reported that Gancarz presented the Polish government's proposals on the "visa-free transport" agreement with Ukraine to Director-General of the European Commission Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE) Magda Kopczynska.

As reported, the Polish Infrastructure Ministry signed an agreement with protesting Polish carriers on stopping the blockade of three checkpoints at the Ukrainian-Polish border, they started on November 6, before March 1. The Ukrainian Restoration Ministry said it had met every obligation to accommodate the demands of the protesters blocking the Ukrainian-Polish border. The two ministries set up a working group, in particular, to analyze the "visa-free transport" agreement and to decide what amendments should be made to the future agreement for keeping parity in transportation. The new agreement will be concluded after the current one expires on June 30, 2024.