EU plans emergency system for military transport due to Russia threat

The European Commission on Wednesday unveiled plans for an emergency system to speed up the cross-border movement of troops and military equipment in response to growing security threats from Russia.

“The fast movement of Europe’s militaries is essential for Europe’s defence,” said EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas.

“Defence readiness fundamentally depends on whether you can get your tanks and troops to where you need them, when you need them,” she said.

“Europe is facing unprecedented security threats. The case for better military mobility couldn’t be clearer.”

Under the plans, military transport operations are to have priority access to transport networks, infrastructure and related services across the European Union during a crisis.

They also foresee exemptions from rules on drivers’ working hours, national notification requirements and environmental or noise regulations. Rail vehicles could be used outside their normally approved areas of operation.

European deterrence cannot rely on goodwill, proposal says

“In crises, when time is crucial to any response, Europe cannot afford to react slowly,” the proposal states.

“In such situations we cannot rely on ad-hoc coordination and national goodwill. We must have a clear plan and a fast lane prepared for our military forces. Without it, our deterrence remains theoretical.”

EU ministers and the European Parliament will scrutinize and discuss the proposal. If approved, the system could be activated within 48 hours in an emergency.

The proposal refers to it as the European Military Mobility Enhanced Response System (EMERS) which comes in addition to numerous other initiatives for facilitating cross-border military transports.

These approaches include reducing bureaucratic hurdles and expanding transport infrastructure. Currently, many important road and railway bridges as well as numerous ports and airports are unsuitable for large and heavy military transports.

The EMERS proposal comes amid intelligence assessments suggesting Russia may be militarily capable of launching another war by 2030.

Kallas previously warned that Russia could prepare for an attack on an EU country in the years to come.

A commission document also published on Wednesday states that “the Russian aggression against Ukraine demonstrates every day how important it is to move military aid and supply as quickly and smoothly as possible.”

Previous efforts are considered insufficient

The EU’s efforts to significantly improve military mobility have recently faced repeated criticism.

At the beginning of the year, a report by the European Court of Auditors (ECA) concluded that billions of euros in investments in projects for the faster deployment of armed forces within Europe were not having the desired effect.

According to the ECA, the infrastructure projects funded were selected on a case-by-case basis rather than by prioritizing the overall most urgent needs.

In 2022, the commission had announced that it would provide €1.7 billion ($1.97 billion) in funding for militarily usable infrastructure projects.

These included the expansion of roads and railway lines. The funds available for this purpose were already exhausted by the end of 2023, even though they were earmarked until 2027. The ECA also criticized the funding gap.

For the next long-term EU budget, the commission has proposed a tenfold increase in the budget for military mobility.

A total of €17.65 billion is to be made available for investments in transport infrastructure that can be used for military purposes.