Today Commissioner Bulc presented the action plan for military mobility, also on behalf of EU foreign policy chief Mogherini. The action plan entails concrete proposals, such as streamlining and simplifying customs formalities and improving existing infrastructure for civilian and military use.
MEPs Marietje Schaake and Matthijs van Miltenburg (ALDE/D66) welcome the plan but stress that it should be clearly identified how the improvement of infrastructure will be funded. Schaake: “These steps are crucial for improving European defence cooperation. Military convoys will no longer have to wait for days at every border because of red tape. This will prevent unnecessary delays and save money. It is now important that member states follow-up rapidly. We must also look critically at the possible additional costs for improving the transport network.”
Proposals include strengthening bridges and roads, for example for transport of heavy tanks. Van Miltenburg: “It’s good that the plans build on the existing European transport network. The use of the most important infrastructure that falls under it enables fast and efficient transport within Europe. "
Strategic importance
The European Commission and the European Defence Agency are also working together with NATO on military mobility. Schaake: “The conflicts in Ukraine and Crimea and more aggressive Russian behaviour underscore the strategic importance of military mobility. I am glad that cooperation on this topic has taken off. We have to anticipate and make sure that NATO has the ability to react decisively when needed.”
Time-line: In 2017, then Minister of Defence for the Netherlands Jeanine Hennis put the topic on the political agenda. Today’s action plan will be presented to EU member states for their approval. In this context, the Netherlands is leading the PESCO-project on military mobility. First results and next steps will be discussed during the European Council at the end of June and the NATO Summit in July.
