Ukraine and North Macedonia have agreed on 'visa-free trips for transport,’ allowing the cancellation of permits for bilateral and transit transportation for vehicles of the Euro-3 standard and above. This refers to a low threshold of exhaust gases which became compulsory in the EU from 2001. The first EU-wide emissions standard, Euro 1, was introduced in 1992, requiring catalytic converters on new cars. Since then, Euro emissions standards have evolved, leading to the current Euro 6, introduced in September 2014. These regulations aim to reduce transport emissions, which contribute to 20% of CO2 emissions within the EU. The current Euro 6 standards aim to become more stringent over time.
The bilateral agreement requires carriers to have a certificate from a manufacturer or authorised institution confirming the environmental class of at least Euro-3. The quota of permits for transportation to third countries will be doubled for the current and next year, and the validity procedure will be agreed upon. The permits are valid for vehicles of any environmental category. Ukraine already signed an agreement with the European Union in June 2022, which allowed for practically visa-free for transport. In march 2023 the 'visa-free trips for transport’ were extended until June 30, 2024.
