Position paper on the EU Military Mobility Package
Military Mobility in Europe: integrating transport, citizen and climate considerations
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Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has exposed critical vulnerabilities in Europe's transport networks and accelerated calls for a genuine military mobility framework. In response, the European Commission published a Military Mobility Package in November 2025, proposing an EU-level framework to streamline cross-border military transport, upgrade dual-use infrastructure, and strengthen governance and coordination.
T&E has assessed the proposals and concludes that, with the right design and implementation, the Military Mobility Package could deliver meaningful co-benefits for civilians and the climate alongside its core defence objectives. However, the proposal needs strengthening on the civilian dimension and on clean energy and strategic autonomy.
Key recommendations are:
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1
Evolve from dual-use to multi-use: The Military Mobility Package should adopt a genuine multi-use approach that integrates civilian transport and climate resilience alongside military applications.
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Prioritise upgrades to existing infrastructure over new projects: The Regulation should give clear priority to maintaining and enhancing existing networks in line with the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), while allowing justified exceptions for selected new projects.
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Strengthen rail interoperability: The Regulation should tackle the fragmentation of European rail networks by prioritising the full roll-out of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) and accelerating investments in cross-border infrastructure.
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Leverage decarbonisation as a defence asset: The EU should accelerate the electrification of transport fleets and prioritise Made-in-Europe solutions, from battery manufacturing to synthetic fuels for aviation and shipping produced using renewable electricity.