16 May 2025

MEPS DISCUSS EU MILITARY MOBILITY PLANS

On 14 May, the European Parliament's Committees on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) and Security and Defence (SEDE) organised a joint hearing on military mobility. Military and policy experts were invited to share their views on the current state and future prospects of military mobility in the EU. Representatives from the European Commission also provided updates on ongoing initiatives and efforts in this area.

Eddy Liégeois (Deputy Director General in DG MOVE indicated that the Commission, having refined the four corridors of military mobility, is in the process of establishing a list of priority projects to provide a clear vision for the next EU budget. Malwina Nowakowska from the Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS) highlighted that the Commission has already begun work on the Communication announced in the white paper on defence, published in March 2025. This includes legislative proposals to address barriers to military mobility, which will be the focus of an upcoming consultation expected in the coming weeks. Among the barriers identified, Ms Nowakowska mentioned Customs rules, energy availability for military mobility, and the need for a common crisis framework. She emphasised that the EU is examining national legislations to identify ways to simplify them, and that European legislation will also undergo specific adaptations to facilitate military mobility.

Other speakers and many MEPs underscored the critical need to enhance military mobility across the EU. They particularly highlighted the importance of developing dual-use infrastructure, which can serve both civilian and military purposes. Such infrastructure projects could be partly funded by the new multi-annual financial framework. The speakers called for a stronger EU budget which is essential to ensure the successful implementation of military mobility initiatives. The insights and key takeaways from the hearing will feed an own-initiative report by the joint TRAN-SEDE Committees. This report would set the Parliament’ recommendations for enhancing military mobility within the EU, seeking to ensure that the strategic objectives discussed during the hearing are translated into actionable policies.