European rail sector welcomes harmonisation efforts in Commission’s Military Mobility Package
As the backbone of Military Mobility, European railways welcome the EU’s new package of measures to facilitate military movements across the continent. The package unveiled today by High Representative of the Union Kaja Kallas, European Commission Executive Vice President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy Henna Virkkunen, Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius and Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas pursues the ambition of establishing an EU-wide military mobility area. The Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) and its members were among the first earlier this year to issue recommendations to enhance Military Mobility and remain committed to support the joint effort towards defence readiness.
As part of the EU Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030, the Military Mobility package addresses remaining gaps in infrastructure, procedures and capabilities. It consists of a Joint Communication and a Proposal for a Regulation to facilitate the transport of military assets across Europe, as well as targeted amendments to existing EU legislation to better accommodate military mobility requirements in a dual military- and civilian-use perspective. This package includes several measures recommended by CER in its latest position paper.
On the infrastructure side, Europe already has clear targets and specifications to meet for seamless connectivity under the Trans-European Network for Transport (TEN-T). The Package aims to make transport infrastructure fit for a dual use, identifying concrete military mobility hotspot projects, starting with the removal of missing links and bottlenecks along the four priority military mobility corridors. CER recalls that ambitious and predictable funding is needed to accelerate investments around the identified corridors and hotspots, which are currently estimated at around €100 billion.
Procedural improvements must guarantee swift and seamless Military Mobility, especially when crossing borders. The Regulation foresees a harmonisation and digitalisation of customs forms and the granting of cross-border permissions within three working days, two key measures put forward by CER. The Commission also proposes the set-up of the ‘European Military Mobility Enhanced Response System’ (EMERS), an emergency framework which enables temporary, extraordinary measures to guarantee enhanced cross-border military transport. When EMERS is activated, special rules apply.
Railways have also highlighted the urgent need to replenish and modernise rolling stock for military mobility with EU financial support. The Commission proposes to establish a ‘Military Mobility Solidarity Pool’, where Member States will be able to voluntarily register their own capacities for military transport as well as those contracted with civilian operators. CER stresses the importance of first replenishing existing fleets before envisaging the pooling of rolling stock.
In addition, a clear and effective governance bringing together civilian and military authorities is essential to guarantee swift mobilisation and responsiveness in times of crisis. In this regard, the creation of a ‘Military Mobility Transport Group’ with ‘National Coordinators for Military Movement’ is welcomed by CER, while emphasizing the need to test established procedures through military drills, in close coordination with civilian authorities.
The EU is expected to adopt the legislative parts of the Military Mobility Package by the end of 2026, with the ultimate goal of establishing an EU-wide military mobility area by the end of 2027. Railways stand prepared to contribute further analysis and expertise in the months to come.
CER Executive Director Alberto Mazzola said: “Today’s Military Mobility Package is crucial to ensure fast and seamless military movements across Europe, in which railways play a key role. CER calls for the swift adoption of the Package in the interests of EU defence readiness and improved continental connectivity as a whole. With a systemic approach to the railway system to facilitate military transportation, addressing infrastructure, procedures, capabilities and governance gaps in a dual-use perspective, we can deliver maximum benefits for civilian and military users alike.”
The CER position paper 'Dual-use, resilient and interconnected, cross-border Military Mobility on rail – readiness 2030 and beyond' is accessible here.
Download below the press release.