Ukraine and Norway have agreed to allow Ukrainian carriers to carry out transportation without permits until September 30, 2024, the press service of the Ministry of Community Development, Territories and Infrastructure (Ministry of Reconstruction) reports.
In August 2024, a meeting of the specialized commission will be held to discuss the extension of the “transport visa-free regime” with Norway for a longer period, Deputy Minister of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure of Ukraine Serhiy Derkach wrote on Facebook on Wednesday.
“Our goal and task is to ensure that Ukrainian carriers can carry out transportation without permits to as many countries as possible. Currently, we have agreed with Norway to extend the previous agreement, and we expect that the term of the “transport visa-free regime” will be extended soon,” Derkach emphasized.
According to him, the liberalization of transportation will help Ukraine not only to increase the volume of cargo transportation, but also to integrate into the European and global transportation system.
Liberalization of freight transportation is possible for vehicles of Euro 5 and higher environmental standards. Drivers must have a certificate confirming the environmental class of the truck when performing transportation on board, the deputy minister noted.
The “transport visa-free regime” with Norway expired on June 30, 2024, after a liberal regime for carriers had been in effect for a year since August 2023.
Ukrainian carriers also have access to “transport visa-free travel” with 37 countries, including the European Union. Over the past year, in addition to Norway, the Ministry of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure of Ukraine has managed to agree on the liberalization of freight transportation with North Macedonia, Turkey, Moldova, Georgia and Montenegro, the Ministry of Reconstruction noted.
Ukraine remains in the top 30 states with the strongest passports: its citizens can visit 146 countries without visas or with visas on arrival, according to an updated rating of national passports by Henley&Partners.
The first place in the ranking is occupied by Singapore, its citizens can visit 192 countries without a visa. The second place is shared by Germany, Italy and Spain, citizens of these countries can visit 190 countries. In third place are Austria, Finland, France, Japan, Luxembourg, South Korea and Sweden (189 countries). Also in the top 5 are Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands, UK (188 countries) and Belgium, Czech Republic, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal and Switzerland (187 countries).
Sixth place went to Australia, Hungary and Poland, citizens of these countries can travel visa-free to 186 countries. In seventh place were Canada and Greece, from where you can travel to 185 countries.
The United States and Lithuania ranked eighth (184 countries), followed by Latvia, Slovakia and Slovenia (183). Estonia and Iceland round out the top ten, citizens of these countries can travel to 182 countries without visas.
Ukraine in this ranking shares 30th place (146 countries) with two countries – Grenada and St. Lucia.
The last place in the ranking belongs to Afghanistan: citizens of this country can visit only 27 countries without a visa. Iraq (29) and Syria (30) have slightly higher positions.
The Henley&Partners Passport Index is an international ranking of countries by the level of freedom of movement they provide to their citizens. The index analyzes the visa regulations of more than 200 countries and territories and ranks them by the number of visa-free countries. A country’s position in the ranking is determined by the number of countries in the world to which its citizens can enter without prior visa processing or by obtaining a visa on arrival.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine at a meeting on August 26 approved an order On signing an Agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of the Republic of Mauritius on the mutual abolition of visa requirements,” the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine reports.
“We work to further expand freedom of travel for Ukrainians,” Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said.
It is reported that the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers is the first step towards the introduction of a visa-free regime. In the future, Ukraine and Mauritius must sign an agreement and carry out a number of domestic procedures.
The draft Agreement provides for the introduction of a visa-free regime for mutual trips of citizens of Ukraine and the Republic of Mauritius for up to 90 days within 180 days.
“The conclusion of a visa-free visa will allow to intensify interpersonal contacts and further develop partnerships with the Republic of Mauritius. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues to work systematically to expand freedom of travel for Ukrainians, which is an important element of Ukraine’s foreign policy strategy,” the ministry said.
The Governments of Ukraine and China are working on the preparation of a visa waiver agreement between the countries, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Ukraine Fan Xianjun said.
“We are now actively working to sign an intergovernmental agreement on a visa-free travel between China and Ukraine,” the ambassador said at a press conference in Kyiv on Thursday.
He said the signing of such a document would provide maximum travel facilities for nationals of the two countries and would promote mutual understanding and mutually beneficial cooperation between the states.
Deputy Minister of Economy – Trade Representative of Ukraine Taras Kachka expects to sign an agreement on the so-called industrial visa-free regime with the EU (ACAA Agreement) by the end of 2021.
“I hope that by the end of the year we will come to the signing of the ACAA Agreement. The main effect will be in one thing – this is the greatest investment in the confidence in Ukrainian producers,” the Ministry of Economy quotes Kachka in a press release.
He added that the second phase of the quality infrastructure assessment is scheduled for September.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has signed decree No. 116/2021 “On the temporary introduction of a visa-free regime for citizens of the People’s Republic of China who enter Ukraine for tourist purposes,” the presidential website reported.
According to the document, in order to develop friendly relations between Ukraine and the People’s Republic of China (PRC), to intensify bilateral cooperation in the field of tourism, from April 1 to September 30, 2021, a visa-free entry to Ukraine and transit travel through Ukrainian territory will be introduced for citizens of the PRC who travel for tourism purposes if the period of their stay in Ukraine does not exceed 30 days during 180 days.
The Cabinet of Ministers was instructed to take measures arising from the decree.
