Europe is ramping up defense spending. But one issue has largely been neglected -- how to move military equipment from one country to another as quickly as possible in the case of conflict.
A “military Schengen,” an area in which arms and troops can freely move around the bloc’s passport-free zone as easily as civilians do, has been talked about for years. But so far it has remained elusive for both the EU and NATO, despite increased security concerns brought about by the war in Ukraine.
On November 19, the European Commission will present its latest attempt to achieve this by the end of the decade.
An advanced copy, seen by RFE/RL, points out two ways to achieve this: firstly, splashing cash on hundreds of “choke points” around the continent such as rail tracks, ports, and bridges, including in EU candidates Ukraine and Moldova, which the paper considers crucial to integrate into the EU’s military transport structures.
And secondly, cutting red tape to stop disparate national laws and bureaucracy from hindering any efforts to quickly and easily move military assets from one EU country to the next.
Lots Of Talk, Little Progress
In 2017, the idea of a “military Schengen” became an “area of priority” and action plans were drawn up by the European Commission in 2018, 2022, and 2024 -- however, scant progress was made.
EU diplomats, speaking under condition of anonymity to RFE/RL, have said that the minimal progress certainly isn't due to a lack of trying. The topic, they say, is usually near the top of the agenda whenever EU-NATO cooperation is discussed, but neither organization, they say, has ever truly embraced it.
SEE ALSO: Wider Europe Briefing: More Sanctions On Russia And A European Drone WallNATO has long hoped that the EU would devote more legislative power and cash to military mobility, especially now when 23 out of 27 EU member states are also part of the military alliance. The war in Ukraine has only added to the urgency to step up on all defense-related items.
At the same time, there has been frustration in the EU that NATO has been too focused on spending money on expensive military gear and much less on how to actually transport it and make it available for other alliance members.
The new NATO goal of spending 3.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) on military equipment by 2035 and an additional 1.5 percent on nonmilitary investment -- such as military mobility -- goes some way to address the issue.
But it is still very much in the hands of individual countries, as the European Commission paper highlights.
“While Member States remain free to decide whether to allow foreign armed forces to cross their territory as part of their national security and defense, the EU must have a framework for military mobility that balances military and civilian needs,” it says.
The goal for this European Commission, whose mandate ends in 2029, is to “set up an EU-wide Military Mobility Area by the end of 2027 as a first step towards progressively achieving a ‘Military Schengen’ in regulatory, infrastructure, and capabilities dimensions.”
Will There Be Enough Money?
The question is if the cash will be available this time.
In the last multiannual EU budget (2021-2027), some 1.7 billion euros ($2 billion) were earmarked for dual civilian/military use transport infrastructure, focusing on 95 projects in 21 countries. But, as the paper notes: “the demand for EU funding significantly exceeded the available resources and all calls were heavily oversubscribed.”
For the next long-term budget (2028-2034), the European Commission has therefore proposed 17.65 billion euros in dual-use transport infrastructure focusing on 500 “hot spot projects” where transport of military gear needs to become faster and smoother.
SEE ALSO: How NATO Is Boosting Eastern Defenses Amid Russian Air IncursionsBut will this fly? Especially as member states always water down the initial commission proposal and prefer to divert EU cash on more "vote-winning” sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, and other types of social spending.
Rail is also the mode of transport that most money has been spent on when it comes to military mobility. And that is likely to continue. Earlier this year, the EU agreed on four priority multi-modal military mobility corridors -- north, south, east, and central. The northern one, mainly connecting the Netherlands with Germany and Poland, and further on to Ukraine, is the most advanced.
The commission's paper highlights a 22-kilometers railway stretch -- connecting western Ukraine with Slovakia and the rest of Central Europe -- featuring European standard gauge railway track, which opened in September.
It also notes that “preparatory works are ongoing to deploy the European nominal standard track gauge on the European Transport Corridors connecting Moldova and Ukraine to EU Member States.” The idea is very much that all of the EU, including candidate countries, will operate with the same railway track gauge going forward.
The European Commission is also keen to lay out money on other items that are vital for military movement such as outsized cargo airlifts, dual-use ferries, and flatbed wagons for trains to move heavy military equipment such as rockets and tanks.
Improving 'Military Mobility'
Yet, in the end, the biggest changes the EU could make is in the legislation to make the movement of troops and equipment easier. It can take up to 45 days to obtain permission for military transport to cross from one EU country to another.
The goal, set by Brussels, is three days. Surprisingly, EU harmonized rules for the transport of dangerous goods do not apply to military transport, meaning that ad hoc arrangements often have to be agreed upon.
This would change, and the European Commission intends to push for even more.
Another proposal is that permission to move military equipment between member states will no longer need to be renewed annually. They will simply remain valid until revoked. Non-EU member states can also be part of this change.
The key to this would be a so-called “European Military Mobility Enhanced Response System (EMERS),” which can be triggered within 48 hours after a proposal from the European Commission or an EU member state.
When activated, in case of a potential military emergency, cross-border military transport will only require a notification with a reduced advance notice of military movement. Most standards procedures could be bypassed, except for customs formalities.
Of course, all of these proposals will have to be agreed upon among EU member states, often requiring unanimity. Given the increased urgency for the EU to step up militarily due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, this might prove to be the best chance possible to achieve a “military Schengen.”