Date: 2026-01-27Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: Europe
Council Decision (EU) 2026/226 of 15 July 2025 on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, 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
**Executive Summary**
Council Decision (EU) 2026/226, dated 15 July 2025, approves the conclusion of the amending Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on the carriage of freight by road of 29 June 2022 on behalf of the Union. The amending Agreement, provisionally applied since its signature on 20 June 2024, prolongs the initial agreement until 30 June 2025, with a potential six-month renewal. The Commission is tasked with notifying the amending Agreement.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Agreement Approval and Context:**
* The Council approves the amending Agreement between the EU and Ukraine regarding freight transport by road.
* The original Agreement has been provisionally applied since June 29, 2022 and was prolonged until 30 June 2024.
* The amending Agreement was signed on June 20, 2024, and has been provisionally applied since then.
* The agreement supports Ukraine's economy and facilitates transport between the EU and Ukraine.
* The disruptions faced by the transport sector in Ukraine due to Russia's war of aggression justify the Agreement.
* **Duration and Renewal:**
* The Agreement should be prolonged until 30 June 2025.
* There is a possibility for a tacit renewal for one period of six months.
* **Competence and Scope:**
* The Union temporarily exercises shared competence, limited to the period of the Agreement's application.
* Member States will regain competence after the Agreement ceases to apply, subject to Union measures.
* The Decision does not prejudice other international agreements.
* The Union's competence covers only elements governed by this Decision and the Agreement.
* **Implementation:**
* The Commission is required to notify the amending Agreement to express the Union's consent.
* The Decision comes into force on the day of its adoption.
**Impact Analysis**
**European Union**
*Impact**
Facilitates exports to Ukraine and supports the Solidarity Lanes initiative. The EU temporarily exercises shared competence in road freight transport with Ukraine.
*Action Required**
The Commission must proceed with notifying the amending Agreement to express the Union's consent.
**Ukraine**
*Impact**
Supports the Ukrainian economy and society by enabling freight transport to and from the EU.
*Action Required**
No specific action is outlined for Ukraine in the document.
**EU Member States**
*Impact**
Member States will regain competence in areas covered by the agreement once it expires. Their competence concerning international agreements related to freight transport is not prejudiced by this decision.
*Action Required**
No specific action is outlined for Member States in the document.
Key Entities Referenced
Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on the carriage of freight by road of 29 June 2022: An agreement between the EU and Ukraine to facilitate freight transport by road, supporting Ukraine's economy and the 'Solidarity Lanes'
European Union: One of the parties in the Agreement with Ukraine
Ukraine: One of the parties in the Agreement with the EU
European Commission: The body tasked with making the notification
Official Journal EN
of the European Union L series
2026/226 27.1.2026
COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2026/226
of 15 July 2025
on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, 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
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(6)(a) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,
Having regard to the consent of the European Parliament,
Whereas:
(1) By Decision (EU) 2022/1158(1), the Council authorised the signature of the Agreement between the European
Union and Ukraine on the carriage of freight by road(2) (the ‘Agreement’). The Agreement has been provisionally
applied since 29 June 2022, its conclusion was approved by Council Decision (EU) 2022/2435(3)and by Decision
No 2/2023 of the Joint Committee established by the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on the
carriage of freight by road(4), it was prolonged until 30 June 2024.
(2) In accordance with Council Decision (EU) 2024/1876(5), 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(6) (the ‘amending Agreement’) was signed on 20 June 2024, subject to its conclusion at a later date. The
amending Agreement has been provisionally applied since the day of its signature.
(3) The Agreement has proven to be essential for Ukraine, supporting the Ukrainian society and economy by allowing
Union and Ukrainian road haulage operators to carry out freight transport operations to and through the Ukrainian
territory to the Union and vice-versa, thereby also supporting the Solidarity Lanes for Ukraine. Its effects remain
positive also for the European Union, in particular for the Union’s exports to Ukraine.
(4) The conditions justifying the conclusion of the Agreement continue to prevail, in particular the important
disruptions faced by the transport sector in Ukraine following Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
(1) 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).
(2) OJ L 179, 6.7.2022, p. 4, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2022/1158/oj.
(3) Council Decision (EU) 2022/2435 of 5 December 2022 on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement
between the European Union and Ukraine on the carriage of freight by road (OJ L 319, 13.12.2022, p. 5, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/
eli/dec/2022/2435/oj).
(4) Decision No 2/2023 of the Joint Committee established by the Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine on the carriage
of freight by road of 16 March 2023 as regards the continuation of the Agreement (OJ L 123, 8.5.2023, p. 36, ELI: http://data.
europa.eu/eli/dec/2023/929/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).
(6) OJ L, 2024/1878, 2.7.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2024/1878/oj.
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2026/226/oj 1/3EN
OJ L, 27.1.2026
(5) In view of the exceptional and unique circumstances that necessitate the conclusion of the amending Agreement and
in accordance with the Treaties, it is appropriate for the Union to exercise temporarily the relevant shared
competence conferred upon it by the Treaties. Any effect of this Decision on the division of competences between
the Union and the Member States should be strictly limited in time. The competence exercised by the Union on the
basis of this Decision and of the Agreement should therefore be exercised only during the period of application of
the Agreement. Accordingly, the shared competence thus exercised will cease to be exercised by the Union as soon as
the Agreement ceases to apply. Without prejudice to other Union measures, and subject to compliance with those
Union measures, that competence will, in accordance with Article 2(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the
European Union (TFEU), again be exercised by the Member States thereafter. Furthermore, it is recalled that, as set
out in the Protocol on the exercise of shared competence annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the TFEU,
the scope of the exercise of the competence of the Union in this Decision covers only those elements governed by
this Decision and the Agreement, and does not cover the whole area. The exercise of Union competence by this
Decision is without prejudice to the respective competences of the Union and of the Member States in relation to
any ongoing or future negotiations for, or signature or conclusion of, international agreements with any other third
country in that area.
(6) At the Joint Committee meeting held on 18 December 2023, it was concluded that the Agreement fulfils its intended
purpose and that the underlying conditions justifying the Agreement remain valid. However, the Parties also noted
several issues arising from the application and implementation of the Agreement and its possible impact at local
level on the road transport sector in the Union. Limited changes to the Agreement are therefore required to facilitate
its enforcement and strengthen its implementation.
(7) In order for both the Union and Ukraine to continue benefitting from the positive effects of the Agreement on
facilitating road freight transport between and through Ukraine and the Union, and subject to the necessary
amendments, the Agreement should be prolonged until 30 June 2025, with the possibility for a tacit renewal for one
period of six months.
(8) The amending Agreement should be approved.
(9) In accordance with the Treaties, the Commission should make the notification provided for in Article 2(1) of the
amending Agreement,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
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 (the ‘amending Agreement’) is hereby approved on behalf of the
Union.
Article 2
1. The exercise of Union competence pursuant to this Decision and the Agreement shall be limited to the period of
application of the Agreement. Without prejudice to other Union measures, and subject to compliance with those Union
measures, after the end of that period of application the Union shall immediately cease to exercise that competence and the
Member States shall again exercise their competence in accordance with Article 2(2) TFEU.
2. The exercise of Union competence pursuant to this Decision and the Agreement shall be without prejudice to the
competence of the Member States concerning any ongoing or future negotiations for, or signature or conclusion of,
international agreements related to the carriage of goods by road with any other third country, and with Ukraine with
respect to the period after the Agreement has ceased to apply.
3. The exercise of the competence by the Union referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article covers only the elements
governed by this Decision and the Agreement.
4. This Decision and the Agreement are without prejudice to the respective competences of the Union and the Member
States in the area of carriage of goods by road, with regard to elements other than those governed by this Decision and the
Agreement.
Article 3
The Commission shall proceed, on behalf of the Union, to make the notification provided for in Article 2(1) of the
amending Agreement, in order to express the consent of the Union to be bound by the amending Agreement.
2/3 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2026/226/ojEN
OJ L, 27.1.2026
Article 4
This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its adoption.
Done at Brussels, 15 July 2025.
For the Council
The President
K. KALLAS
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2026/226/oj 3/3