On 14 May, the European Parliament’s Committee on Security and Defence (SEDE) and the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) convened a joint public hearing on military mobility. The event brought together institutional representatives, defence experts, and transport stakeholders to assess the EU’s progress on military mobility and identify remaining barriers.
The hearing highlighted the growing importance of dual-use infrastructure, assets that can serve both civilian and military purposes, in responding to the EU’s evolving security landscape. Ports, as key nodes in Europe’s logistics and transport chains, were recognised as critical components of this infrastructure.
Speakers pointed to bottlenecks in both physical capacity and regulatory procedures, underlining that infrastructure must not only be robust and resilient, but also efficiently accessible for defence purposes. Several participants called for streamlined cross-border procedures and harmonised standards to enable the swift deployment of military assets.
Funding was a recurring theme, with experts noting that current resources under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) and other EU instruments fall short of long-term needs. As the EU prepares its next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), there were calls for sustained and predictable funding to upgrade key corridors, including ports, rail links, and intermodal terminals.
The concept of a “whole-of-government” approach emerged as a priority, with stakeholders stressing that effective military mobility requires coordination across civilian, military, and political actors. Moreover, several interventions highlighted the need to align EU initiatives with NATO requirements while respecting national sovereignty and operational confidentiality.
The hearing also brought attention to the broader benefits of military mobility, such as improved infrastructure resilience and enhanced connectivity, developments which also support trade and economic growth.
As discussions on the future of military mobility continue, FEPORT will closely monitor policy developments to ensure that the strategic role of ports is supported through coherent legislation and adequate investment.
