Poland in Estonia

The participants of the protest claim that their main demands are: 1) restoring the obligation to have permits for international road transport of goods (bilateral and transit transport) between Poland and Ukraine, which was temporarily abolished under the agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on road transport of goods, and 2) exemption from the obligation to register in the electronic queue system for Polish trucks returning from Ukraine without load, which was introduced by the Government of Ukraine.

– We remain in constant contact with the transport sector. We are also talking with the government of Ukraine and the European Commission, the key which can remove the direct causes of this protest is in their hands. Today I will meet with the sector representatives, and Deputy Minister Weber will talk, i.a. with the Ukrainian side and the European Commission - said Minister of Infrastructure Alvin Gajadhur.

– We hope that the Ukrainian side will show a constructive attitude and will exclude from the electronic queue system - in accordance with the demands of Polish transport operators - vehicles returning without load from Ukraine at least at two border crossings: Zosin-Uściług and Niżankowice-Malhowice – said Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Rafał Weber.

Alvin Gajadhur reminded that the EU Transport Council will be held on December 4, 2023. Poland sent a request to discuss the effects of the agreement between the European Union and Ukraine, which has been in force since July 1, 2022. On the basis of this agreement, Ukrainian drivers were able to enter the EU without permits as part of bilateral and transit transport. This provision has a significant impact on the functioning of the road transport market in the European Union, in particular in Poland. The share of Polish trucks in transport operations between Poland and Ukraine has decreased sharply. In 2021, the share of Polish entrepreneurs in road transport between Poland and Ukraine was approximately 38%, and that of carriers from Ukraine was 62%. At the end of October 2023, Polish road carriers performed only about 8% of such transports, while carriers from Ukraine - 92%.

Therefore, last week, the Minister of Infrastructure asked Adina Vălean, European Commissioner for Transport, to appoint a joint committee to analyze the effects of the European Union-Ukraine agreement on the EU road transport market. This is an action provided for by Art. 7 of this agreement. Such a committee may include representatives of its parties, and member states, including Poland, may have an observer role in such a committee.