In order to build a new European infrastructure in Ukraine, the new Verkhovna Rada dominated by President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Servant of the People party, with a clear majority of 254 out of 424 seats, will have to pass a reform test. Transport reforms are part of this exam, which the previous parliament did not pass.

As part of the implementation of the association agreement between Ukraine and the European Union, a number of laws in the fields of transport, transportation of dangerous goods and provision of postal services are urgently needed.

What initiatives are we talking about?

Key are the following draft laws developed with the assistance of the Ministry of Infrastructure:

– “On railway transport of Ukraine,” which provides for the implementation of eight acts of European Union legislation;

– “On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine on Harmonization with the Legislation of the European Union in the Field of Carriage of Dangerous Goods,” which provides for the implementation of Directive 2008/68/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the inland transport of dangerous goods;

– “On Inland Water Transport”, which provides for the implementation of 10 acts of EU legislation;

– “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine on Road Safety Management” which provide for the implementation of EU Directive 2008/96 / EC;

– “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine in the Field of Safeguarding the Operation of Wheeled Vehicles in accordance with the Requirements of the Association Agreement between Ukraine, of the one part, and the European Union, the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the other part”, provides for the implementation of seven acts of European Union legislation;

– “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine in the Field of Road Transport” in order to bring them into line with the acts of the European Union, which provides for the implementation of four acts of European Union legislation;

– “On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine on Postal Services,” which provides for the implementation of Directive 97/67/ EC of the European Parliament and of the council on common rules for the development of the community internal market in postal services and the improvement of the quality of services, as amended by Directive 2002 / 39 / EC and No 2008/6 / EC;- “On multimodal transport”, which provides for the implementation of Council Directive 92/106 / EEC on the establishment of common rules for certain types of combined carriage of goods between Member States.

Why are these bills so important?

First, to fulfill our obligations under the association agreement.

Second, it is the opening of the market and liberalization of the transport sectors, such as aviation, which has given rise to the rapid development of regional airports and the arrival of low-cost companies.

Third, we have agreed with Brussels the TEN-T Investment Plan, which envisages the involvement of 50 billion euros in Ukraine’s infrastructure by 2030, and no one will give us money without legislative reforms.

Finally, a painful question: Why has the previous parliament not been able to pass any law in the field of transport?

This is despite the fact that credit agreements were signed at each EU-Ukraine summit and we attracted over € 2 billion in infrastructure from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the European Investment Bank at 1.8% per annum. The answer is obvious!

Too many lobbying interests are affecting these reforms.

As a result, the draft law on private locomotives was not enough to adopt only five votes, and the bill on the development of inland waterways got only four votes. The bill on the liberalization of mail was blocked by the government, and the certification of road transport by the relevant parliamentary committee.

But now there is every opportunity to correct these errors.