To make it easier for troops, equipment and military assets to move quickly and smoothly across Europe, the European Commission and the High Representative step up defence readiness, focusing on preparedness, with a military mobility package: new Regulation on military mobility and Joint Communication.
The Commission also aims at boosting disruptive innovation in the military area and strengthening Europe’s defence industry with an EU Defence Industry Transformation Roadmap.
Enabling movement at scale and speed
Creating an EU-wide military mobility area by 2027, the military mobility package brings the EU one step closer towards a ‘Military Schengen.’ It will make it faster, safer, and more coordinated to move troops and military equipment across Europe by:
Removing regulatory barriers: introduces the first-ever EU-level harmonised rules on military mobility and sets clear rules and procedures for cross-border military movements, with a maximum three-day processing time and streamlined customs formalities.
Creating an emergency framework: a new European Military Mobility Enhanced Response System (EMERS) for fast-track procedures and priority access to infrastructure, supporting armed forces acting in the context of EU or NATO.
Enhancing the resilience of transport infrastructure: upgrades key EU military mobility corridors to dual-use standards and protecting strategic infrastructure with a new resilience toolbox. Targeted investments will strengthen cybersecurity, energy security and readiness in both peace and crisis.
Pooling and sharing capabilities: enhances preparedness, solidarity and availability of military mobility capabilities for Member States by introducing a Solidarity Pool and the possibility to create a Military Mobility Digital Information System.
Strengthening governance and coordination: A new Military Mobility Transport Group and an enhanced Trans-European Transport Network TEN-T Committee will guide implementation and monitor readiness, supported by National Cross-border Military Transport coordinators in each Member States.
Unlocking disruptive innovation for Defence Readiness
The ‘EU Defence Industry Transformation Roadmap: Unleashing Disruptive Innovation for Defence Readiness’ plans to accelerate the modernisation of the European defence industry and support emerging defence players.
It aims to bring together the deep tech and defence communities, speed up the use of advanced technologies in military capabilities and boost Europe’s production capacity through innovation.
To achieve this, it focuses on four priorities: supporting investment in defence companies, accelerating the development of new technologies, expanding access to defence capabilities and fostering the skills needed to sustain Europe’s technological edge.
Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has shown how quickly defence technologies evolve. Innovations such as AI, quantum systems, drones and space technologies are reshaping the battlefield. New defence actors, from startups to innovative SMEs, are changing how Europe develops and produces military capabilities.
Europe must learn from Ukraine’s experience, strengthen its resilience and build a new defence ecosystem that unites industry leaders, new innovators and the tech community to deliver capabilities faster and more efficiently.
Next Steps
The Commission will present the new Regulation on military mobility to the Council and the European Parliament for adoption under the ordinary legislative procedure.
The Commission will immediately start implementing the Roadmap’s proposed actions to start the transformation of Europe’s defence industrial ecosystem and scale up.
Background
In March 2025, the Commission and the High Representative put forward the White Paper for European Defence – Readiness 2030, complemented by the Commission’s ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030, an ambitious defence package providing financial levers to EU Member States to drive an investment surge in defence capabilities.
The military mobility package and the EU Defence Industry Transformation Roadmap were both highlighted as key priority areas in the White Paper and in the Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030.
The military mobility package 2025 also builds on lessons learned from the revised Action Plan 2.0 and the 2024 Military Mobility Pledge. It has been developed in close coordination with the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the European Defence Agency (EDA), ensuring coherence with NATO standards and procedures.
For More Information
Military mobility package
Regulation on military mobility
Joint Communication
Defence Industry Transformation Roadmap
Factsheet military mobility
Factsheet on Defence Industry Transformation Roadmap
Quote(s)
As we advance the EU military mobility package, we are laying the groundwork for a safer, more interconnected Europe, ensuring rapid and seamless movement of troops and equipment across the continent. with the lessons learned from Ukraine, the European Defence Industry Transformation Roadmap will accelerate innovation and collaboration, keeping Europe at the forefront of technological advancement and strategic readiness. Together, we’re building a Europe that stands firm against any challenge.
Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy
The fast movement of Europe’s militaries is essential for Europe’s defence. Defence readiness fundamentally depends on whether you can get your tanks and troops to where you need them, when you need them. Today, we are proposing an emergency system for cross-border military transport and an initiative to pool member countries’ transport to make moving troops easier across the continent. Europe is facing unprecedented security threats. The case for better military mobility couldn’t be clearer.
Kaja Kallas, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission
A strong Europe needs both an adaptive and innovating defence industry and the ability to move its forces and assets at scale and speed. The Defence Industry Transformation Roadmap accelerates Europe’s shift towards a more modern, dynamic and innovative defence ecosystem. The military mobility Regulation in the package proposes ways to substantially reduce bureaucratic burden and timeframes for military troops movement and offers new solutions for the dual use mobility assets accessibility at scale when will be needed. This is how we turn industrial strength into operational readiness – and make sure Europe can move as one, with the speed and coordination of our security demands. Our aim is to achieve an EU-wide military mobility area by 2027 – a ‘Military Schengen’, which would allow an effective movement of military transport, sharing of its assets by Member States and helping each other in emergency situations.
Andrius Kubilius, Commissioner for Defence and Space
Today’s military mobility package marks a decisive step in strengthening Europe’s ability to respond to any security crisis or threat. We are building on Europe’s biggest transport strength, the Trans – European Transport Network, which is the foundation of military mobility for fast and seamless transport of troops and military equipment, an investment in both Europe’s security and economy.