EU Sets Out Military Mobility Plan to Fast-Track Cross-Border Troop Movements

Overview

• The European Commission’s package, due Wednesday, outlines an EU-wide Military Mobility Area by 2027 as a first step toward a ‘Military Schengen.’
• At its core is EMERS, allowing temporary suspension of normal transport rules and priority use of infrastructure, with Council sign-off within 48 hours and measures lasting up to a year.
• Brussels targets cutting cross-border advance notice from as long as 45 days to roughly three, with standing movement permissions and a dedicated customs protocol.
• The plan maps some 500 bottleneck hotspots for upgrades and seeks €17–17.7 billion in 2028–2034 funding after the current €1.7 billion pot was quickly oversubscribed.
• NATO planning underscores urgency, with reported goals to accelerate movement of about 200,000 troops and thousands of vehicles across Europe despite rail gauge and tunnel clearance constraints.