The European Parliament is in favour of creating a “Military Schengen” for a possible Russian attack, calling for the abolition of the EU’s internal borders for the movement of troops and equipment, as well as the upgrading of railways, roads, tunnels and bridges.

Russia’s attack on Ukraine has brought military mobility and the urgent need to facilitate the rapid cross-border movement of troops, equipment and assets across Europe back into the spotlight, MEPs stress.

They point out that military mobility is an essential factor for common European security and defence, but also a critical element for the security of the Eastern flank, in particular the Baltic States and Poland.

Increased funding

Parliament’s resolution welcomes the Commission’s proposal to increase the budget for military mobility in the next long-term budget to more than 17 billion.

MEPs call on EU member states to refrain from cutting this proposal, as they did in the 2021 – 2027 budget, when they reduced the proposed funds by 75%. They add that upgrading 500 infrastructure “bottlenecks” such as bridges or tunnels would require at least €100 billion, and call on the Commission to simplify procedures for obtaining funding for dual-use projects.

Parliament recognises that, although significant progress has been made in improving military mobility, there are still significant administrative and financial obstacles, as well as obstacles at the infrastructure level, which means that in some cases, it takes more than a month to move military equipment within the EU.

MEPs call on EU member states and the European Commission to invest more in relevant infrastructure, particularly along the EU’s four military mobility corridors. They also call for the wider implementation of digital solutions and the speeding up of authorisations for cross-border movement through the creation of one-stop-shop services.

They also recommend that the EU should work towards the creation of a “Schengen military area“, based on a roadmap to be presented by the Commission and with the assistance of a special working group on military mobility and an EU coordinator, with a view to streamlining the implementation of the various initiatives.

EU-NATO cooperation

Parliament underlines that military mobility is a priority for EU-NATO cooperation and is essential to facilitate the movement of allied forces in times of peace, crisis or war.

In the resolution, MEPs call for regularjoint exercises and endurance tests to identify and remove obstacles, and also want the EU to follow NATO’s lead and ensure that rapid reaction forces can cross the Union’s internal borders within three days under normal circumstances and within 24 hours in a crisis.

European Parliament co-rapporteur Petras Austrevicius (Renew, Lithuania) said: “For Europe to maintain its strength and its ability to prevent attacks, we must demonstrate our preparedness. This includes the ability to rapidly deploy troops and equipment across the EU. Overcoming administrative burdens and developing dual-use capabilities and infrastructure is not a luxury but a necessity. Parliament is highlighting the work that remains to achieve a true Schengen military area, and this must be completed as soon as possible.”

European Parliament co-rapporteur Roberts Zīle (ECR, Latvia) said: “There are currently too many obstacles to military mobility, which could be addressed quickly without requiring significant resources. Military mobility has become even more urgent in the light of Russia’s aggressive war against Ukraine. There is no time to waste – we must maintain momentum and exploit the solutions that are immediately available.”

The resolution on military mobility was adopted on Wednesday with 493 votes in favour, 127 against and 38 abstentions. MEPs in the Transport and Defence Committees will now begin their legislative work on the package of measures c on military mobility presented by the European Commission in November.