Council Decision (EU) 2025/1997 of 25 September 2025 on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Joint Committee established by the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on the carriage of freight by road as regards the continuation of the Agreement
Date: 2025-09-25
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: Ukraine, agreement (EU), carriage of goods, international road transport, joint committee (EU), renewal of an agreement




L_202501997EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
L series













2025/1997


1.10.2025







            COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2025/1997
         
of 25 September 2025
         
on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Joint Committee established by the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on the carriage of freight by road as regards the continuation of the Agreement


THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 91 in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof,


Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:







(1)


The Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on the carriage of freight by road (1) (the ‘Agreement’) was signed by the Union on, and has been provisionally applied since, 29 June 2022, in accordance with Council Decision (EU) 2022/1158 (2). It entered into force on 5 December 2022.












(2)


Article 7(1) of the Agreement establishes a Joint Committee to supervise and monitor the application and implementation of the Agreement and periodically review the functioning of the Agreement in light of its objectives. 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)


Decision No 2/2023 of the Joint Committee (3) prolonged the duration of the Agreement until 30 June 2024.












(4)


On 20 June 2024 the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine amending the Agreement (4) (the ‘Amending Agreement’) was signed by the Union, and has been provisionally applied since, in accordance with Council Decision (EU) 2024/1876 (5). The Amending Agreement prolonged the duration of the Agreement until 30 June 2025, with a tacit renewal for one period of six months. The Agreement has been tacitly renewed until 31 December 2025.












(5)


In order for both the Union and Ukraine to continue benefitting from the positive effects of the Agreement, by facilitating road freight transport between and through Union and Ukraine and supporting the effective functioning of the Solidarity Lanes in the context of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the Agreement should be continued until 31 March 2027.












(6)


The Joint Committee, during its next meeting, is to adopt a decision on the need for a further continuation of the Agreement. That decision will be binding on the Union.












(7)


It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf in the Joint Committee as regards the continuation of the Agreement.












(8)


Due to the concerns and uncertainties raised by some Member States on the negative impact of the Agreement, the Commission will launch a study on the impact of the Agreement on the road transport industry which will also look into road safety concerns, at Union and national level.












(9)


Any further continuation of the Agreement should be subject to satisfactory progress made on the alignment of Ukrainian legislation with the Union acquis in the area of road freight transport that has not yet been transposed and should take into account the results of the study on the impact of the Agreement on the road transport industry.












(10)


The position of the Union within the Joint Committee should therefore be based on the attached draft decision,





HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:



Article 1
The position to be taken on the Union’s behalf within the Joint Committee established by the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on the carriage of freight by road (‘the Agreement’), as regards the continuation of the Agreement shall be based on the draft decision of the Joint Committee attached to this Decision.
The representatives of the Union within the Joint Committee may agree to minor changes to the draft decision within the Joint Committee without a further decision of the Council.


Article 2
This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.




Done at Brussels, 25 September 2025.


For the Council


The President

M. BJERRE
            





(1)  
            OJ L 179, 6.7.2022, p. 4, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2022/1158/oj.

(2)  Council Decision (EU) 2022/1158 of 27 June 2022 on the signing, on behalf of the Union, and provisional application of the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on the carriage of freight by road (OJ L 179, 6.7.2022, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2022/1158/oj).

(3)  
            OJ L 123, 8.5.2023, p. 36, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2023/929/oj.

(4)  
            OJ L, 2024/1878, 2.7.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2024/1878/oj.

(5)  Council Decision (EU) 2024/1876 of 20 June 2024 on the signing, on behalf of the Union, and provisional application of the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine amending the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on the carriage of freight by road of 29 June 2022 (OJ L, 2024/1876, 2.7.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2024/1876/oj).





DRAFT
DECISION No 3/2025 OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED BY THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND UKRAINE ON THE CARRIAGE OF FREIGHT BY ROAD
of …
as regards the continuation of the Agreement


THE JOINT COMMITTEE,

Having regard to the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on the carriage of freight by road (1) and in particular Article 7(2) thereto,

Whereas:







(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 concerns, 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,





HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:



Article 1

Continuation of the Agreement


1.   The Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on the carriage of freight by road is hereby continued until 31 March 2027.


2.   Any further prolongation should be subject to satisfactory progress made on the alignment of Ukrainian legislation with the Union acquis in the area of road freight transport as stipulated in the Appendix to this decision.



Article 2

Entry into force

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.




Done at …, …


For the Joint Committee


The Co-chairs






(1)  
            OJ EU L 179, 6.7.2022, p. 4, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2022/1158/oj.

(2)  
            OJ EU L, 2024/1878, 2.7.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2024/1878/oj.



Appendix



Decision No 3/2025 of the Joint Committee
established by the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on the carriage of freight by road
of …
as regards the continuation of the Agreement









EU Acquis to be transposed by UA (*1)



EU legal basis


Legal implementation


Comments




Establishment of a national electronic register of road transport undertakings complying with EU specifications


Article 16 of Regulation (EC) No 1071/2009
Commission Decision 2009/992/EU


UA legislation
Possible Joint Committee Decision on major infringements


 




Conditions related to the requirement of establishment


Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1071/2009


UA legislation


 




Conditions related to requirements of good repute


Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 1071/2009


UA legislation


 




Newly registered vehicles in Ukraine as from 1 July 2026 and operating under the Agreement to be equipped with a smart tachograph v2


Article 8(1) of Regulation (EU) No 165/2014


UA legislation
Possible Joint Committee Decision


Decision 2/2025 of the Joint Committee already transposes most of the tachograph acquis





Retrofit of smart tachograph v2 of the Ukrainian fleet operating under the Agreement and not subject to the previous requirement


Article 3(4) and 3(4a) of Regulation (EU) No 165/2014


UA legislation


Decision 2/2025 of the Joint Committee already transposes most of the tachograph acquis.
The availability and capacity of workshops and training of personnel will be taken into account in the assessment of this measure




Alignment with EU provisions regarding driving times, breaks and rest periods


Article 6 to 9 of Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 as amended by Regulation (EU) 2020/1054


UA legislation


This shall not include the connection to the social module of IMI




Alignment with EU provisions regarding working times


Directive 2002/15/EC


UA legislation


This shall not include the connection to the social module of IMI








(*1)  For the purpose of assessing the progress, the Commission shall present to the Ad hoc working group established by Article 7A of the Agreement:






—


an initial report on the status of the implementation by 30 January 2026;










—


an assessment on the progress of the alignment by 31 May 2026;










—


a further assessment on the progress of the alignment by 30 November 2026.








ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/1997/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)