Strengthening military mobility in the EU
The EU is stepping up its efforts to remove the regulatory, infrastructure and capability barriers that hinder cross-border military movements in response to serious security threats and challenges. This will also help ramp up the EU's defence readiness.
The 2025 military mobility package
In November 2025, the European Commission and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy presented a new EU military mobility package, consisting of a proposal for a regulation establishing a framework of measures to facilitate military transport across the EU and a joint communication.
The aim is to enhance member states' ability to move their armed forces seamlessly, at speed and at scale across and beyond the EU.
The package contains measures to:
- harmonise permission procedures and reduce regulatory barriers through digitalisation
- establish a European military mobility enhanced response system (EMMERS) for large-scale and accelerated military transport in exceptional circumstances
- upgrade dual-use transport infrastructure and strengthen the protection of infrastructure critical for military transport
- improve the availability of transport capabilities through a military mobility solidarity pool
- strengthen coordination on military mobility at EU and national level
On 17 June 2026, member states' representatives agreed on the Council's mandate for negotiations with the European Parliament on the military mobility regulation. The Council's focus is on improving flexibility for member states, streamlining provisions to ensure armed forces can implement them effectively, and incorporating military expertise.
In the conclusions adopted by the European Council on 18 and 19 June, EU leaders called on the co-legislators to agree on the military mobility proposal by the end of 2026.
Military mobility in action
Since 2021, the EU has turned its military mobility ambitions into concrete infrastructure investments.
With a budget of €1.74 billion, the connecting Europe facility 2021-2027 has funded projects to adapt existing transport networks to serve both civilian and military needs. This ensures that roads, railways, ports and airports across the continent can handle the demands of modern military logistics.
Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine in February 2022 increased the urgency of this work. Member states responded by accelerating the investment process, allocating the entire budget via three calls for proposals between 2021 and 2023.
To date, the EU's military mobility programme has co-funded 95 projects across 21 member states.
The projects funded address critical bottlenecks across all modes of transport. Key areas targeted for investment include:
- bridges unable to support heavy military vehicles, requiring weight capacity upgrades
- rail gauge incompatibilities at borders
- ports and airports lacking military-grade facilities
- road segments with insufficient clearance height for oversized military cargo
Why military mobility matters
Military mobility is a cornerstone of the European Union's efforts to strengthen defence readiness and collective security. It is the ability of armed forces and their equipment to move swiftly, safely and seamlessly across EU territory.
Military mobility was identified as a priority capability in the 2025 White Paper for European Defence – Readiness 2030. The white paper outlines the EU's new approach to defence industrial issues, identifying investment needs and establishing objectives to ensure Europe's long-term defence readiness.
In the European Council conclusions of 6 March 2025, the heads of state or government identified military mobility as a priority area for action at EU level.
Effective military mobility underpins the EU's capacity to deter threats, respond rapidly to crises, keep the Union secure and protect its citizens. By enabling forces and equipment to move across borders faster, it also strengthens cooperation with partners and supports the EU's broader security and defence objectives.
See also
European defence readiness
Better-connected transport
EU funding for defence
Last review: 1 July 2026