Business, the State Customs Service and the Ministry for Development discuss improvements to the Priority Border-Crossing System

11/ 11/ 2026

The European Business Association held a meeting with representatives of the State Customs Service of Ukraine and the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine. The participants discussed challenges related to the operation of the priority border-crossing system, including opportunities to improve the existing electronic queue mechanism. Business representatives highlighted that, despite legislative provisions granting priority to certain categories of transport, including Authorised Economic Operators (AEOs) and participants in the TIR Convention, in practice, these vehicles do not always receive the expected benefits. During the meeting, representatives of the State Customs Service and the Ministry for Development presented statistical data on the current distribution of vehicles in the queue, as well as proposals to amend the priority passage algorithm. The proposed options envisage different ratios of vehicles entitled and not entitled to priority border crossing. According to preliminary calculations, in some scenarios, the changes could help reduce waiting times for priority categories of vehicles by approximately 49–62%. Following the meeting, business community representatives plan to hold additional working discussions to formulate the Associations position on the proposed options and submit a respective letter. Participants noted that waiting approximately 10 days in the eCherha electronic queue to cross the border, amid ongoing shelling and threats to border crossing points, remains unacceptable for businesses and requires an urgent solution. The European Business Association thanks Vladyslav Suvorov, Deputy Head of the State Customs Service of Ukraine, and Kateryna Onyshchenko, Head of the International Road Transport Department at the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, for participating in the meeting, their openness to dialogue and their willingness to jointly develop solutions to improve state border-crossing procedures.

Business representatives highlighted that, despite legislative provisions granting priority to certain categories of transport, including Authorised Economic Operators (AEOs) and participants in the TIR Convention, in practice, these vehicles do not always receive the expected benefits.

During the meeting, representatives of the State Customs Service and the Ministry for Development presented statistical data on the current distribution of vehicles in the queue, as well as proposals to amend the priority passage algorithm. The proposed options envisage different ratios of vehicles entitled and not entitled to priority border crossing. According to preliminary calculations, in some scenarios, the changes could help reduce waiting times for priority categories of vehicles by approximately 49–62%.

Following the meeting, business community representatives plan to hold additional working discussions to formulate the Association’s position on the proposed options and submit a respective letter. Participants noted that waiting approximately 10 days in the eCherha electronic queue to cross the border, amid ongoing shelling and threats to border crossing points, remains unacceptable for businesses and requires an urgent solution.

The European Business Association thanks Vladyslav Suvorov, Deputy Head of the State Customs Service of Ukraine, and Kateryna Onyshchenko, Head of the International Road Transport Department at the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, for participating in the meeting, their openness to dialogue and their willingness to jointly develop solutions to improve state border-crossing procedures.