The Commission today put forward a proposal for Ukraine to be invited to join the Common Transit Conventions (CTC) – an international framework for the customs transit of goods that ensures simplified procedures between the EU and partner countries.
The Conventions mean that goods can move much more easily between the EU and the seven so-called Common Transit Countries (Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey and the UK). In this way, the simplified rules, such as mutually recognised financial guarantees for customs transit and fewer controls, help to cut down on costs for EU and partner country businesses, while facilitating and boosting trade. In the draft EU position paper adopted today, the Commission takes the view that Ukraine fulfils all relevant criteria for admittance to the Conventions, including legal, structural and IT requirements.
Furthermore, accession to these Conventions is provided for in the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement and in the EU’s pre-accession strategy for Ukraine. Once endorsed by the Council, the EU’s position will be put forward to the highest body of the Conventions, the EU-CTC Joint Committees, made up of the EU and other CTC signatories, which can then formally invite Ukraine to join the Conventions. The Commission hopes that this could be achieved as soon as October this year. More information and the draft legal texts are available online.