On 1 September, the European Parliament’s Committees on Security and Defence (SEDE) and Transport and Tourism (TRAN) presented their draft Own-Initiative Report on Military Mobility (2025/2090(INI)). The report, prepared by rapporteurs Petras Auštrevičius and Roberts Zīle, will be put to a plenary vote in December 2025.
The draft stresses that military mobility has become a strategic necessity, particularly in light of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and increasing tensions along the EU’s eastern borders. Member States sharing borders with Russia, Belarus and Ukraine are described as facing a “direct security threat,” underscoring the need for resilient transport and logistics networks.
Key elements of the draft report:
- Funding: calls for a drastic increase of resources for military mobility in the next MFF, noting that the current €1.7 billion envelope under CEF was cut by 75% compared to the Commission and Parliament’s original proposals.
- Regulatory simplification: reiterates calls for a “military Schengen area,” urges the Commission to harmonise and digitalise cross-border procedures, including customs and dangerous goods rules, and proposes a clear legal framework distinguishing peacetime, crisis, and wartime conditions.
- Infrastructure: welcomes the Council’s adoption of four priority military mobility corridors (94% overlapping with TEN-T), with over 500 hotspots identified for urgent upgrades. Notes the importance of extending corridors into Ukraine and supporting eastern border regions through the Commission’s Eastern Regions Pact.
- Capabilities: highlights shortages in specialised transport assets (e.g. flatbed wagons, dual-mode locomotives), calls for their inclusion in a “solidarity pool” for use when needed, and underlines that fossil-fuelled equipment will remain critical in case of power shortages.
- EU–NATO cooperation: stresses that 95% of EU military requirements are already consistent with NATO standards, but calls for better information sharing and a permanent EU–NATO platform on logistical networks. Also stresses interoperability with Ukraine, Moldova and the Western Balkans.
- Governance: proposes an efficient communication system between military and public authorities with involvement of infrastructure managers, and calls for a single point of contact at EU level for military mobility matters.
For FEPORT, the draft report is particularly relevant as it recognises that dual-use infrastructure is indispensable for both trade and defence. Ports and terminals are gateways that must be integrated into Europe’s security planning. Structured dialogue between governments and port stakeholders, along with a dedicated State aid framework, will be essential to ensure that terminals can contribute fully to the EU’s Readiness 2030 objectives while continuing to facilitate resilient supply chains.
