European Commission visits checkpoint blocked by Polish carriers : Consequences are significant
The European Commission visited the checkpoint blocked by Polish carriers (Photo: Getty Images)
Representatives of the European Commission visited one of the border checkpoints with Ukraine, blocked by Polish carriers, calling the consequences "very significant." They expressed hope that the governments of Ukraine and Poland would find a solution to this situation, citing Radio Liberty.
Yes, yesterday, a high-ranking delegation from the European Commission visited the border crossing point in Poland, where protests are taking place, to participate in discussions with both sides - the government and protesters.
"This visit allows us to see the situation on the spot and assess the consequences of this protest, which are very significant. The queues at the borders are huge. The conditions for long-haul drivers are tough. There are also very significant economic consequences of this protest. Of course, we carefully measure the impact locally," said European Commission spokesperson Adalbert Jantz.
However, the European Commission could not provide figures describing the current situation in arithmetic terms.
"We do not have specific figures regarding the actual impact on trade. But this is a good question, and we will certainly see whether and at what stage this will be reflected in export figures, especially in the agricultural sector, but also from the other side," said Eric Mamer, a representative of the European Commission.
Commenting on the demands of Polish carriers to introduce commercial permits for their Ukrainian counterparts, Jantz confirmed the position that the European Commission had previously voiced.
"Any reintroduction of a permit or quota system for road transport is legally impossible because it would be incompatible with the Agreement on Road Transport between Ukraine and the EU. This agreement on road transport was, of course, also concluded with the consent of the member states," Jantz reminded.
In his opinion, first and foremost, national authorities, as both member states and Ukraine, must ensure the implementation of the practice agreement.
"Also, if there are problems with implementation, this is what we can discuss and help with discussions with the government to solve any such problems in practice - in dialogue," concluded the European Commission spokesperson.
Blocking the checkpoints on the Ukraine-Poland border
Polish carriers started a strike on Monday, November 6. Due to this, there are problems with the movement of trucks on the border with Ukraine - the capacity is no more than one vehicle for export and import per hour. As reported by the State Border Guard Service, on the third day of the strike at the border, 1700 trucks were idle at three checkpoints in Poland.
On November 13, Polish carriers refused to unblock the border with Ukraine following negotiations with Ukrainian officials. On November 16, Polish carriers rejected the joint proposals of the European Commission, Ukraine, and Poland and refused to lift the blockade of the border with Ukraine. Their primary demand is a return to the permit system for Ukraine.
