(1)

Decision 2/2023 of the Joint Committee established by the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on the carriage of freight by road (the ‘Agreement’) prolonged the Agreement until 30 June 2024. On 20 June 2024 the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine amending the Agreement (2) modified and further prolonged the Agreement until 30 June 2025, with a tacit renewal for another period of six months. The Agreement has been tacitly renewed until 31 December 2025.

(2)

Pursuant to Article 7(2) of the Agreement, the Joint Committee is to be convened at the latest three months before the expiry of the Agreement, in order to assess and decide the need for the continuation of the Agreement.

(3)

The Union and Ukraine continue to benefit from the positive effects of the Agreement, by facilitating road freight transport between and through Union and Ukraine. The Agreement has become an essential support to the effective functioning of the Solidarity Lanes.

(4)

The continuation of the Agreement should be understood as also contributing to the reconstruction of Ukraine beyond Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

(5)

It is therefore appropriate to continue the Agreement until 31 March 2027.

(6)

The European Commission will launch a study on the impact of the Agreement on the road transport industry which will also look into road safety issues, at Union and national level, to be delivered by 30 November 2026.

(7)

Any further continuation should be subject to satisfactory progress made on the alignment of Ukrainian legislation with the Union acquis in the area of road freight transport by 30 November 2026. The alignment of Ukrainian legislation should facilitate the proper functioning of road freight transport under this Agreement and should be conducted in the context of the current accession negotiations which started on 14 December 2023,