Press release - MEPs in favour of facilitating military mobility

- Swift and digital military transport permits clearance
- Solidarity pool to close capability gaps
- Special military mobility response system during crisis
- Enhanced cooperation with NATO Allies
MEPs gave a first green light to plans to support transport of military equipment, troops and assets across the EU to better deter any possible aggression.
On Tuesday, the Transport and Tourism and Security and Defence Committees adopted their position on new EU military mobility rules, by 49 votes to nine and four abstentions. The intention behind the rules is to facilitate the transport of military equipment, goods, supplies and personnel. According to MEPs, Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has shown the need for more robust planning and development of military transport across the EU.
Facilitating military movements
To overcome administrative barriers and fragmented national procedures, MEPs support the creation of a secure digital information system to help EU countries to manage military transport permissions, traffic arrangements and customs formalities. They propose advancing its introduction to 2027 (ahead of the Commission’s original proposal of 2030) and ensuring its interoperability with NATO.
MEPs backed measures to speed up the granting of military transport permissions, via standing and ad hoc permissions to be granted within one month and within two working days, respectively. The regulation would also establish a military mobility transport group and mandate EU countries to designate a national coordinator for military mobility.
Resilience of infrastructure and solidarity pool
The new rules call on EU countries to prioritise the upgrading of dual-use and energy supply infrastructure ‘hotspots’, such as roads, bridges, tunnels, railways or access to ports, airports and multimodal freight terminals, to withstand military transport movement. MEPs want sufficient EU and national funding and instruct the Commission to set-up a clear investments timetable.
To address military mobility capability gaps, the new rules instruct the Commission to establish a solidarity pool within six months after the entry into force of the new rules. This would pool and share transport and logistical capabilities of the EU and its member states, such as vehicles, personnel, ICT systems, medical units, vessels or trains, to facilitate military transport operations for EU countries in need. MEPs propose the solidarity pool be open to non-EU NATO allies as well as to Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova.
Emergency response in crisis
MEPs acknowledge that, in an emergency or crisis situation, normal transport rules or network capacities are insufficient to meet a significant increase in the volume, frequency or speed of military transport. Therefore, they back the creation of a European military mobility enhanced response system (EMERS) that would activate temporary measures to ensure timely and uninterrupted military transport across the EU in an emergency or crisis situation, while minimising civilian traffic disruption.
In such a scenario, the EMERS would be activated within 48 hours by the Council following a proposal by the Commission. It would stay in place for up to 12 months and give armed forces priority access to transport infrastructure. MEPs suggest compensation for affected infrastructure owners, operators and managers, if they incur justified expenses, damages or missed revenues under these conditions.
MEPs also agreed that such an emergency situation would also exempt all military transport from cabotage and traffic restrictions and allow for less restrictive driving times, breaks and rest periods, without compromising worker welfare and transport safety.
Enhanced cooperation with NATO
MEPs put particular emphasis on ensuring complementarity between EU and NATO efforts to enable the rapid and smooth movement of allied forces in times of peace, crisis or conflict, including with close partners like Ukraine and Moldova.
Quotes
Security and Defence Committee rapporteur Michał Szczerba (EPP, PL) said: “For Parliament, it is mission accomplished. We have significantly strengthened the military mobility legislative package. We have secured simplified procedures, shortened deadlines for granting transport permission, accelerated digitalisation, strengthened interoperability with NATO and close partners, and improved the resilience of strategic dual-use infrastructure.”
Transport and Tourism Committee rapporteur Roberts Zīle (ECR, LV) said: “These new rules will enhance EU preparedness to respond to security challenges and to quickly move troops to EU countries in need of assistance. We have met our deadlines so that we can start negotiations with the Council in July.”
Next steps
The Defence and Transport committees also decided by 52 votes to six and four abstentions to launch talks with the Council on the final shape of the legislation as soon as possible, if plenary gives its green light in July 2026.
Contacts:
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Gediminas VILKAS
Press Officer (LT)