Ukraine wants to persuade EU to extend 'visa-free transport' accord for one year without changes

MOSCOW. Feb 20 (Interfax) - Ukraine's Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development (Restoration Ministry) is working to extend the agreement with the European Union that allows Ukrainian carriers to operate in the EU without permits for one year without changes.

The current agreement expires on June 30, 2024.

"Our plan is to extend the agreement as it is now, [...] without any changes, for one year," Deputy Restoration Minister Sergei Derkach told Ukrainian media.

The ministry has forwarded a letter to the European Commission requesting a meeting before the end of the month with all countries concerned to consider extending the agreement whereby Ukrainian carriers do not need permits to operate in the EU, Derkach said.

"There are countries that we know for sure agree to extend the agreement. They have no objections [...]. There are countries that have complained about the agreement. All other countries had no complaints and backed the idea that this agreement contributes to the development of the EU's economy," he said.

Poland, Slovakia and Hungary have such complaints, Derkach said. The Baltic countries, Finland, Sweden and France support this agreement.

"I know that the European Commission does not support all the proposals submitted by Poland," Derkach said.

As reported earlier, Poland's Infrastructure Ministry provided Derkach with its draft amendments to the EU-Ukraine agreement on the carriage of freight by road, also known as the "visa-free transport" agreement.