Why Trucks Could Become a New Problem for Ukraine-Poland Relations

A new conflict is brewing between Ukraine and Poland. This time it is about freight transport.

Polish carriers are threatening to block all border crossings with Ukraine from 3 November due to excessive competition after the liberalisation of international transport between Ukraine and the EU.

Read more on the topic in the article by EuroPravda's editor Yurii Panchenko – New Conflict Between Ukraine and Poland: Why Polish Truck Drivers Ready to Block Border

What are the protesters demanding? Some of them are technical, but some concern fundamental principles for Ukraine. The key demand is a return to the permit system for Ukrainian carriers to work in the EU.

After the full-scale war with Russia, the European Union took unprecedented steps to back the Ukrainian economy. In particular, the EU completely waived the requirement for Ukrainians to obtain the mentioned permits for a year and extended this provision until June 2024.

Now, Polish carriers also demand the cancellation of this privilege and the return of the old permitting system. Furthermore, there is another requirement – the "the tightening of the transport rules for foreign carriers under the ECMT (European Conference of Ministers of Transport)." The Poles are demanding a more strict issuance of certificates for technical inspections.

There is a third demand – to prohibit Ukrainian companies from registering a company in Poland if the company's finances are located outside the EU. Ukrainians are only allowed to transport goods from Ukraine to the EU and back on a limited number of trips.

Of course, such demands are absolutely unacceptable to Kyiv.

In addition, there are several technical requirements. It appears that the blockade initiators at the Ukrainian border are actually targeting these demands. "Demand more to get what you want" – a universal negotiation strategy!

The current blockade resembles "reconnaissance by battle" before the complex negotiations in the European Commission that will begin next year.

Currently, the Polish side is demonstrating that its business is committed.

However, Kyiv has enough time to negotiate with the new Polish government on terms that will be acceptable to both Polish and Ukrainian carriers.