The recent escalation of drone and missile attacks on Ukraine and increasing incidents near Poland and Romania have highlighted once more how fragile Europe’s security environment has become. With NATO reinforcing its Eastern flank and Russia maintaining pressure, the risk of confrontation in the Black Sea and along key border regions cannot be excluded. These developments bring to the forefront the EU’s responsibility to ensure that its infrastructure — including ports — is ready to support both civilian trade and defence operations.
Against this backdrop, military mobility has become a central EU and NATO priority. Ports, rail links, and corridors must be capable of handling not only commercial flows but also the rapid deployment of military assets, humanitarian aid, and strategic supplies. Ensuring dual-use readiness requires investments in resilient terminals, interoperable systems, and simplified cross-border procedures.
Within the framework of the Military Mobility Package, the European Commission is preparing a new Communication, a dedicated Regulation, and amendments to existing legislation, including the CEF-T Regulation. The parallel Defence Omnibus package aims to streamline permitting procedures for defence-related investments, reducing red tape and accelerating projects that enhance Europe’s readiness.
The European Parliament is also active: its Own-Initiative Report on Military Mobility presented on September 1st, 2025 and scheduled for adoption in December 2025, stresses the need to cut administrative barriers, mobilise private capital to make dual-use infrastructure financially viable, and create better business-to-government (B2G) and business-to-business (B2B) communication channels.
Financially, Commissioner Tzitzikostas has announced that the forthcoming Connecting Europe Facility III will include a transport envelope of €51.5 billion, almost double the current MFF allocation. Notably, €17.65 billion is earmarked for military mobility, representing a tenfold increase compared to the current period. This sends a clear signal that projects once considered too ambitious or underfunded should now move forward.
For terminal operators, these developments are highly relevant. Ports are gateways not only for trade and energy but also for strategic mobility in times of crisis. FEPORT supports stronger coordination and communication between governments and port stakeholders, and underlines the need for a dedicated State Aid Framework for ports. This will ensure that terminals have the financial and regulatory tools required to contribute to the military mobility goals set out in the Readiness 2030 plan, while continuing to serve Europe’s competitiveness and security.
