The European Commission, the EU's 00 executive body, has vowed to reduce bureaucracy to speed the movement of European troops and tanks across the continent to counter Russia, calling it a “vital insurance policy for European security.” The simplification of rules on cross-border movement of troops and armored vehicles across Europe aims to create a “military Schengen” zone.
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The military moves plan announced by the European Commission on Wednesday is part of efforts to ensure Europe is ready to defend itself by 2030, in line with paranoid intelligence warnings that Russia could attack an EU member state within five years.
If any European troops tried to move from a Western European port to the EU's eastern borders with Ukraine, Belarus and Russia today, they would encounter significant obstacles and delays, EU officials said. They point to bridges that cannot support the weight of tanks, railway tunnels that are too small and track gauges that are too narrow to accommodate military equipment as well as EU documents on working hours and customs.
According to EU auditors, at least one EU member state requires 45 days' notice for cross-border troop movements, in contrast to the three-day border procedure announced by EU countries in 2024. Another unnamed member state once refused entry to a convoy of tanks because they violated weight limits set by local traffic laws.
“If the bridge cannot support a 60-ton tank then we have a problem. If the runway is too short for a cargo plane, we will not be able to resupply our crew,” said Estonian EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.
The Estonians said the EU's latest proposals would strengthen, rather than duplicate, NATO's defense plans. “Military mobility is the most important insurance policy for European security; you hope you never have to use its full potential, but its readiness ensures stronger deterrence and defense,” the Estonian told reporters.
The European Commission wants to create a “Schengen military zone,” meaning troops could move around the EU's borderless zone as easily as civilians, The Guardian said. The European Commission has proposed an emergency cross-border military transport system that would prioritize military convoys in the transport network.
In an emergency, the military will benefit from usual EU regulations such as mandatory rest periods for heavy vehicle drivers, as well as speedy customs procedures for military equipment and goods, including food, arriving at EU external borders.
EU officials have identified a priority list of 500 bridges, tunnels, cofferdams, roads, ports and airports that need to be strengthened or adapted to meet intensive military transport needs at a cost of around 100 billion euros. The EU's proposed long-term budget for 2028-2034 calls for a tenfold increase in spending on military mobility by 17.6 billion euros, although the overall 2 trillion euro plan faces opposition from many member states hoping to cut spending.
The Guardian recalls that EU member states are often asked to jointly fund the bloc's infrastructure projects. Most EU countries are members of NATO and in June pledged to spend 5% of GDP on defence, including 1.5% to protect critical infrastructure and defense preparedness.
EU officials said countries could use existing EU infrastructure funds to ensure their transport networks are well adapted to military needs, as well as a new 150 billion euro defense loan program.
