Three years of “customs visa-free travel” with the EU: how the transit system works and what it has brought to business

Ukraine has been enjoying “customs visa-free travel” with the EU for three years now. The NCTS system has simplified the transportation of goods and opened up new opportunities for business. Find out what the results are, how customs procedures have changed, and what this means for entrepreneurs

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On October 1, 2022, Ukraine took another significant step towards European integration by joining the Convention on a Common Transit Procedure and the Convention on the Simplification of Formalities in Trade in Goods. Since then, the New Computerized Transit System (NCTS), often referred to as “customs visa-free travel,” has been in operation.

Thanks to this tool, Ukrainian businesses have gained simplified access to European markets, and customs barriers with EU countries have virtually disappeared. How the system works, what results it has already shown, and why it is important for entrepreneurs is explained below with a link to the State Customs Service of Ukraine.

How does “customs visa-free travel” work?

The essence of NCTS is that goods are transported between the customs offices of participating countries under a single transit declaration — from the customs office of departure to the customs office of destination. This simplifies the transportation procedure, reduces the number of documents and checks, and speeds up the delivery of goods.

For businesses, this means not only time savings but also cost reductions, as there is no longer a need to duplicate customs procedures in different countries.

Results of three years of the system's operation

According to the State Customs Service, Ukrainian companies have filed more than 231,000 transit declarations in the three years since the “customs visa-free” system came into effect. The growth dynamics are impressive:

● in 2022 — over 700 declarations,

● in 2023 — over 41,000 declarations,

● in 2024 — over 94,000 declarations,

● in the first three quarters of 2025 — over 95,000 declarations, which already exceeds the previous year's figures.

Thus, transit traffic volumes are growing steadily, and Ukrainian businesses are increasingly taking advantage of the system.

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Most often, Ukraine acts as the customs office of departure. In particular:

● over 173,000 movements were completed in the countries participating in the Convention,

● over 58,000 movements — in Ukraine.

A separate element of the NCTS is the guarantee management system, which ensures the security of shipments. As of October 1, 2022, the State Customs Service's electronic transit system has registered:

● 224 general guarantees worth €625.6 million,

● almost 28,000 individual guarantees worth €1.4 billion.

Ukrainian guarantees are also actively used abroad: they have been applied in more than 300,000 transit declarations in EU countries, particularly in Poland and Lithuania.

In 2024, Ukraine switched to Phase 5 of the NCTS — the most advanced version of the system, which is already in use in EU countries. This has allowed for even greater harmonization of customs procedures and brought Ukraine closer to EU standards.

What this means for business and European integration

“Customs visa-free travel” is not just a technical solution. For Ukrainian entrepreneurs, it has become a tool that helps them deliver goods faster, reduce costs, and build trust among international partners on a daily basis.

For the state, it is also an important step towards full integration into the European economic space, as Ukraine's customs rules are gradually becoming identical to those of Europe.

Thanks to NCTS, companies engaged in international transport can plan their logistics more easily and avoid unnecessary delays. At the same time, for those who work with the EU, it is important to have all the necessary documents for crossing the border — from transit declarations and certificates of conformity to insurance and Green Cards for transport.

By the way, Ukrainian entrepreneurs and drivers can apply for a Green Card for traveling abroad online through the Visit Ukraine portal. The website offers policies for various types of transport for a period of 15 days to 1 year.

We remind you! Europe remains the main trading destination for Ukraine. The leaders in mutual trade are Poland, Germany, and Italy, as well as the Netherlands, Romania, and Hungary. Read about who Ukraine has the largest export and import volumes with and what trends will define 2025.

Photo: State Customs Service of Ukraine

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