Representatives from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the European Commission and the State Agency for Restoration and Infrastructure Development officially opened a lane for freight vehicles at Luzhanka border crossing point (BCP) in Zakarpattia region. This lane, necessitated by the December 2024 decision to permit large trucks to pass through Luzhanka BCP, will reduce queues and improve safety at the border crossing point. Additionally, new barriers, traffic limiters, and infrastructure for customs officers and border guards have been installed at Luzhanka BCP with EU support. 

These upgrades are part of the efforts to enhance Ukrainian border crossing infrastructure under the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes initiative, which supports Ukraine's economic resilience by facilitating the export and import of goods.

“IOM remains strongly committed to supporting Ukraine’s sustainable reconstruction, mobility, and border management capacities, laying essential foundations for the country’s long-term recovery and alignment with European standards” said Massimo Ramanzin, IOM Ukraine’s Senior Programme Officer. 

Given ongoing disruptions to Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, IOM is focused on enhancing the operational capacity of border crossing points. To ensure continued operations, inverters and solar panels have been installed, providing a consistent and eco-friendly power supply.

With funding from the European Union, IOM has also equipped Ukraine’s largest border crossings with Slovakia, Romania and Hungary with customs inspection tools, including handheld scanners. These will speed up the control process and enable more effective detection of potential fraud. This support complements the significant investments in critical transport infrastructure and connectivity being made available through the European Union's Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). 

The total cost of the EU-funded assistance to border and customs infrastructure at the Ukrainian borders with Slovakia and Hungary within the EU4IBM and Solidarity Lanes project is over half a million euros.