The European Parliament has voted by a large majority to extend the road transport agreement between the European Union and Ukraine until the end of 2025. While many MEPs see the deal as a continued expression of solidarity with Ukraine, Polish members of the European Parliament (MEPs) who voted against it argue that extending the liberalized road transport framework will further damage the competitiveness of Polish transport companies. Unlike their Ukrainian counterparts, Polish hauliers are subject to strict EU regulations and compliance costs.
The EU–Ukraine road transport agreement, originally signed in June 2022, was introduced to facilitate the movement of essential goods, including fuel and humanitarian aid, to Ukraine and to ensure the continued export of Ukrainian goods such as grain, ore, and steel to the EU and beyond. The agreement was due to expire in June 2024, but has now been temporarily extended.
“Extending the agreement between the EU and Ukraine essentially weakens the competitiveness of Polish transport companies,” said Elżbieta Łukacijewska, a Polish MEP from the Civic Platform (PO), in a statement to Newseria. “We, as Poland and as part of the European Union, must ensure that all transport operators comply with a consistent set of requirements—covering costs, driver wages, insurance, emissions standards, modern tachograph installation, and working time limits. These rules are designed to guarantee safety and fair competition. Unfortunately, third-country companies, including Ukrainian ones, are not held to the same standards.”
Due to these concerns, the Civic Platform delegation voted against the extension. In the final vote, 488 MEPs supported the extension, 137 opposed it, and 34 abstained.
“We continue to support Ukraine—financially, logistically, and diplomatically—but that cannot come at the cost of strangling the growth of Polish transport companies,” Łukacijewska emphasized. “A lot has changed since the early days of the war when ports were closed and overland routes were the only option. Today, goods can again be transported by sea. Extending this agreement now once more harms the competitiveness of our firms. It offers no real tools for enforcing rules and standards, and undermines the companies that have spent years building their position in Poland and across the EU.”
According to a 2024 report by the Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW), the liberalization of road freight transport between the EU and Ukraine has led to major shifts in the market. Data from Poland’s Border Guard shows a 45.3% increase in truck border crossings between 2021 and 2023. The growth could have been even greater if not for protests by Polish transport operators. The market share of Polish companies in Poland–Ukraine freight transport fell from 38% in 2021 to just 8% in 2023.
“I often hear that we need to protect European companies,” said Łukacijewska. “Yet at the same time, we’re seeing legislative proposals from the European Commission that directly undermine their competitiveness. I think many MEPs from countries like Spain, Greece, or Portugal—far removed from the Ukrainian border—act out of emotion rather than economic analysis. As Poles, we recognize the importance of our support for Ukraine, but that support must be within reasonable limits. Otherwise, after the war, we may find ourselves with a deeply weakened domestic economy.”
The Polish delegation plans to present its position to the European Commissioner for Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, in the near future. Their goal is to ensure that from January 1, 2026, the agreement includes more balanced provisions.
“It’s time to stop introducing more regulations and instead simplify the existing ones,” said Łukacijewska. “It’s time to defend Polish and European businesses, to boost competitiveness, and to impose stronger safeguards against unfair competition from third countries like China and others. If the rules aren’t the same, then the opportunities are not equal. For example, Polish drivers must use the latest tachographs, which cost thousands to install, and must adhere to strict working time regulations—or face heavy fines. These rules do not apply to Ukrainian companies. So it’s easy to see how they can enter the Polish market and undermine firms that have spent years building their brand and their share of the European market. I’m proud of our Polish transport sector—it’s one of our strongest industries—and we must do everything we can to help it thrive, especially in our border regions. That’s why we voted no on this extension.”
