The Chairperson of the Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the EU Ivanna Klympush-Tsyntsadze and First Deputy Chairperson of the Committee Vadym Halaichuk met with a delegation from the European Commission's Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, headed by its Director Magda Kopczyńska.
Ivanna Klympush-Tsyntsadze thanked for the EU's assistance in creating the Solidarity Roads. They were initiated by the European Commission in May 2022 so that Ukraine could maintain its trade routes and goods could move in both directions – from and to Ukraine. The total value of trade through the Solidarity Roads is estimated at around €139 billion, of which over €46 billion is Ukrainian exports and over €93 billion is Ukrainian imports.
At the same time, the Committee Chair noted that acute issues, such as the blocking of checkpoints on the Ukrainian-Polish border and protests by Polish agricultural producers, are difficult to resolve at the bilateral level. Therefore, this situation requires Brussels' active involvement in the settlement. “The more we produce, the more we can export, the more we can support our economy on our own,” said the Committee Chair. Currently, Ukraine's goal is to at least return to the pre-war level of exports. The parties discussed bringing Ukraine's transport legislation in line with EU law, which would help resolve many of the current issues.
Magda Kopczyńska noted that Ukraine should prioritise legislation in the transport sector that will bring Ukraine closer to the standards of the European Union. And accordingly, to ensure that Ukraine is already approaching the EU as much as possible. Currently, Ukraine has already been granted additional preferences in trade with the EU and in transport links with the EU. But at the same time, it is trying to meet the standards set by the European community in this area as much as possible. Ivanna Klympush-Tsyntsadze, for her part, said that the Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the EU is actively working and is interested in the speedy adaptation of Ukrainian legislation to EU law. The Committee is now providing opinions not only on draft laws prepared for the first reading, but also on drafts revised for the second reading. It also provides opinions on draft laws that are prioritised for Ukraine's integration into the European Union.