European Parliament supports idea of "military Schengen" for rapid troop movement in EU

Members of the European Parliament supported a resolution that provides for the abolition of internal borders for the movement of troops and equipment within the EU and the strengthening of military mobility against the backdrop of Russia's war against Ukraine. This was reported by UNN with reference to the European Parliament.

Details

The resolution notes that Russia's war against Ukraine has drawn attention to the need for rapid cross-border movement of troops, equipment, and assets across Europe. MEPs emphasized that military mobility is a key element of the EU's common security and defense, especially for the eastern flank, including the Baltic states and Poland.

The European Parliament supported the European Commission's proposal to increase funding for military mobility in the next long-term EU budget to over 17 billion euros and called on member states not to reduce this amount. According to MEPs' estimates, the modernization of about 500 critical infrastructure facilities, including bridges and tunnels, will require at least 100 billion euros.

In addition, MEPs pointed out that despite the progress made, administrative, financial, and infrastructural barriers still exist in the EU, due to which the movement of military equipment across the EU can take more than a month. They called for the creation of a "military Schengen area," supported by a working group on military mobility and a European coordinator to optimize the implementation of various initiatives, and the Commission should provide a roadmap.

The resolution also emphasizes the importance of EU-NATO cooperation. The European Parliament proposes to conduct regular joint exercises and stress tests to identify and eliminate obstacles.

MEPs also want the EU to follow NATO's example and ensure that rapid reaction forces can cross internal EU borders within three days in peacetime and 24 hours in crisis situations.

To preserve Europe's strength and ability to deter aggressors, it is crucial that we demonstrate our readiness to act. This includes the ability to rapidly deploy troops and equipment across the EU. Overcoming administrative burdens and developing dual-use capabilities and infrastructure is not a luxury, but a necessity. Parliament emphasizes the work that still needs to be done to achieve a true "military Schengen area," and this must be done as soon as possible.

The resolution on military mobility was adopted by 493 votes "for", while 127 voted "against", and 38 MEPs abstained. Now the relevant committees of the European Parliament on transport and defense will begin work on the legislative package on military mobility proposed by the European Commission.

Recall

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, during his speech at the annual collegium of the Ministry of Defense, made further aggressive statements against Europe and Ukraine. He assured that Russia would "definitely" achieve its territorial goals in the war, which Moscow continues to call a "special military operation," choosing either a diplomatic path or military force to do so.