Ukraine initiates meeting with Poland and European Commission due to threat of border closure

The Ministry of Community, Territory and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine has asked the Polish Ministry of Infrastructure and the European Commission's Directorate General for Mobility and Transport to discuss the possible blocking of border crossings by Polish carriers.  

Source: Press service of the Ministry of Restoration on 31 October; European Pravda

Details: At the meeting, they want to discuss the implementation of memoranda on the capacity of Ukrainian-Polish border crossings.   

Quote: "We have received a message about the possible blocking of border crossings by Polish carriers. Our position is that such protests and blocking harm everyone: both Ukrainian and Polish carriers," said Serhii Derkach, Deputy Minister of Community, Territory and Infrastructure Development.  

He noted that Ukraine is grateful to the Polish people for their constant support in the full-scale war and is ready for a dialogue where the interests of carriers from both countries will be equally represented.

A meeting with the Directorate General for Mobility and Transport is scheduled for 31 October. The key goal is to develop joint solutions that will help increase capacity and ensure stable operation of the border.  

Background: Polish carriers have threatened to close all border crossings with Ukraine starting in November due to excessive competition after liberalising international transportation between Ukraine and the EU. 

Previously, carriers in Poland were limited to blocking one border crossing, but now they plan to block all available entrances from Ukraine. 

Polish carriers are demanding: to return the permit system for Ukrainian carriers; to tighten transport rules for foreign carriers under the ECMT (European Conference of Ministers of Transport); to make it impossible to register companies in Poland if the company's finances are located outside the EU; to have a separate queue in the E-Сherha (E-queue) for cars with EU licence plates; to have a separate queue at all borders for empty trucks; and to have access to the Shliakh (Path) system, which allows male drivers or volunteers to legally cross the border under martial law.

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