EU-Ukraine road transport agreement: is it valid in 2027?
The EU-Ukraine road transport agreement is valid until 2027-03-31, and any further extension depends on Ukraine's alignment with EU road freight rules.
Logifie Team
Logistics Technology Experts
The EU-Ukraine road transport agreement is valid until 2027-03-31, so it covers only the first quarter of 2027. The EU and Ukraine extended it on 2025-09-25. Renewal depends on Ukraine's alignment with EU road freight rules and a Commission impact study due by 2026-11-30. No further extension was confirmed as of 2026-11-06.
Is the EU-Ukraine road transport agreement valid in 2027?
It is valid, but only until 2027-03-31. The end date was agreed on 2025-09-25 in Joint Committee Decision No 3/2025, and the EU position for it is set out in Council Decision (EU) 2025/1997 , published in the Official Journal on 2025-10-01.
The Decision makes a further extension conditional on satisfactory alignment of Ukrainian law with the EU road freight rules. The Commission reports on alignment by 2026-01-30, 2026-05-31 and 2026-11-30. The areas covered are the national electronic operator register, establishment and good repute, smart tachograph version 2, and driving and rest time rules. A Commission impact study, including road safety, is also due by 2026-11-30.
| Date | What happened or is due |
|---|---|
| 2022-06-29 | Agreement signed at Lyon and applied provisionally |
| 2024-06-20 | Amending agreement signed, adding control rules |
| 2025-09-25 | Extension to 2027-03-31 decided |
| 2026-11-30 | Last Commission alignment report and impact study due |
What does the agreement allow, and what must hauliers carry now?
The agreement covers bilateral and transit carriage between the EU and Ukraine, on laden and linked unladen journeys, without permits, provided operators are established and authorised in their own party, meaning the EU or Ukraine. Cabotage, which is carriage of goods within a single Member State, stays outside the agreement, as does cross-trade between Member States (Art. 2(1) of the original 2022 text ).
The 2024 amending agreement added control rules that apply now. Each vehicle must carry a certified copy of the transport authorisation and display a windscreen sticker, and when it returns empty the documents it carries must link that return to an authorised trip.
Authorities must also identify unauthorised cabotage and cross-trade, and repeat offenders may be excluded. Driver qualification is a separate topic: read the Ukrainian driver Code 95 guide for Poland .
What happens if the agreement ends?
Vehicles that are in the other party's territory at that point may return home (Art. 12(2) of the original text). Without a later deal, the bilateral arrangements between individual Member States and Ukraine apply again (Art. 12(4)).
Hauliers booking loads after 2027-03-31 should plan for both outcomes until a decision is published. Border waiting times are a separate question. Before each run, check the current truck queue at the Ukraine-Poland border .
Frequently asked questions
Do Ukrainian trucks need EU permits in 2027?
Ukrainian trucks need no EU permit for bilateral and transit carriage while the EU-Ukraine road transport agreement applies, which is until 2027-03-31, although each operator must still be established and authorised in Ukraine and carry a certified copy of its transport authorisation. Cabotage and cross-trade stay outside the agreement. After 2027-03-31 the answer depends on whether a further extension is adopted, and none was confirmed as of 2026-11-06.
Can the agreement be suspended in one region?
The 2024 amending agreement allows temporary suspension, including partial suspension in a specific geographic area for up to 3 months. Transit is not affected by such a suspension.
Which Commission reports and studies are due under the Decision?
Council Decision (EU) 2025/1997 sets alignment reports by 2026-01-30, 2026-05-31 and 2026-11-30, plus an impact study due by 2026-11-30. The Decision ties any further extension to satisfactory alignment of Ukrainian law with the EU road freight rules.
Request a quote for EU-Ukraine loads you plan to move before 2027-03-31.
