European Union member states would be required to open their borders to each other’s troops and military equipment within three days in peacetime and within just six hours during a crisis under a sweeping new proposal from the European Commission aimed at transforming the bloc’s ability to move forces rapidly across Europe, according to Euro News.
The initiative, dubbed a “military Schengen,” responds to warnings that bureaucratic delays and uneven national rules could cripple Europe’s capacity to defend itself at a time when intelligence services believe Russia could be capable of attacking another European country by the end of the decade.
“Today, to move military equipment and troops from west to east can take months,” said Apostolos Tzitzikostas, the commissioner overseeing sustainable transport and tourism. “You cannot defend a continent if you cannot move across it. So we’re creating this military Schengen.”
The plan, formally presented Wednesday, seeks to harmonize permitting rules that currently vary widely across the 27-member bloc. Some countries take weeks to approve transit requests. The Commission’s proposal would impose strict deadlines and presume automatic approval in emergencies.
It also calls for a new EU military mobility response system, modeled on the Civil Protection Mechanism, allowing countries to rapidly pool transport assets such as flatbed railcars, ferries, or strategic airlifts. A catalogue of dual-use civilian transport options would also be created, and national coordinators would prioritize upgrades to 500 key infrastructure projects including roads, bridges, ports, tunnels, rail lines needed to carry heavy military equipment along four classified corridors.
Tzitzikostas estimated the cost at €100 billion, describing the current €1.7 billion allocation as “a drop in the ocean.” A proposed €18 billion for the next EU budget cycle still falls short, though member states can tap cohesion funds and defense loan schemes.
“The geopolitical situation is not easy,” Tzitzikostas said. “We have to learn to move faster and deliver results much sooner than anyone would expect.”
