Progress in Ukraine's transport European integration in 2023 was only 2%

In 2023, Ukraine became closer to fulfilling its European integration commitments in the field of transport only for 2%, increasing the share of implementation of European directives from 53% to 55%. This was reported by the NGO Vision Zero, which analysed information from the government website Pulse of the Deal for 2023 and 2022.

According to the website, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine added two percentage points to its "portfolio", increasing the implementation rate from 56% to 58%. The Verkhovna Rada Committee on Transport and Infrastructure made no progress at all over the year, remaining at 19%. The Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine and other central executive authorities in the field of transport made the most progress, with their overall implementation rate of the Association Agreement increasing from 33% to 42%.

Screenshot of the website "Pulse of the Deal" as of 10.01.2024

As of 10 January 2023, the share of overdue obligations, according to the government website, is as follows:

• Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine: 42% of overdue obligations;
• Other central executive authorities: 68% of overdue obligations;
• Parliamentary Committee on Transport and Infrastructure: 81% overdue obligations.

Among the European integration draft laws that were not considered by the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Transport last year is the implementation of Regulation 1370/2007/EC. A package of five draft laws (5149 as the main one and supplementary 5150, 5151, 5152, and 5185) was registered three years ago, long before russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This package of legislative changes is necessary both for Ukraine's EU membership and to enable local transport organisers to switch to modern principles of ordering and financing public transport services.

Various cities have repeatedly asked lawmakers to adopt this package of laws. In addition, about 100 representatives of local governments who participated in the All-Ukrainian Urban Mobility Forum held in Lviv on 26-28 April 2023 sent a joint appeal to the Parliament to speed up consideration of this issue.

Screenshot of the website "Pulse of the Agreement" as of 03.01.2023

According to the NGO Vision Zero, such slow progress in the implementation of the Agreement delays Ukraine's European integration and makes life difficult for cities and citizens right now.

"Private and municipal transport companies are barely surviving in the constant crisis conditions that began in 2020 with the coronavirus pandemic and only worsened in 2022-2023. As a result, the quality and reliability of public transport services is constantly and rapidly declining. Small communities, especially in rural areas, are the most affected, with bus services being completely discontinued due to unprofitability and the lack of legal capacity to finance them. These problems experienced by the majority of Ukraine's population are probably unknown to the members of the Verkhovna Rada's Transport Committee, who travel around cities and the country only by car. Local governments are trying to change something, but due to outdated and imperfect legislation, they are limited in their ability to implement transport changes at the local level," commented Viktor Zagreba, Chairman of the Board of the NGO Vision Zero.

The NGO reminds that Ukraine ratified the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union on 16 September 2014, which is the 10th anniversary of this event. Ukraine's accession to the EU does not negate the need to fulfil the obligations set out in the Association Agreement. On the contrary, in addition to these obligations, the Verkhovna Rada and the government will have to develop and approve a large number of additional public policy documents, including those in the transport sector. Therefore, the implementation of the Association Agreement's transport-related provisions remains extremely necessary and obligatory on the part of the Verkhovna Rada, the Cabinet of Ministers and other central government agencies.