EU plans fast-track system for military transport in emergencies

The European Commission will on Wednesday propose an emergency system to speed up the cross-border movement of troops and military equipment in response to growing security threats from Russia, according to information obtained by dpa.

The plan would give military transport operations priority access to transport networks, infrastructure and related services across the European Union during a crisis.

It would also allow exemptions from rules on drivers’ working hours, national notification requirements and environmental or noise regulations. Rail vehicles could be used outside their normally approved areas of operation.

A working document states that in crises where reaction time is critical, Europe cannot afford to act slowly. Situations requiring rapid, large-scale military deployment often arise without warning, it adds, and cannot rely on ad-hoc coordination or the goodwill of individual member states.

A clear plan and guaranteed priority for armed forces are needed to give deterrence real weight.

After presentation, the proposal will go to EU ministers and the European Parliament for discussion. If approved, the system could be activated within 48 hours in an emergency.

The working documents refer to it as the European Military Mobility Enhanced Response System (EMERS).

The initiative comes amid intelligence assessments suggesting Russia may be militarily capable of launching another war by 2030. “Russia has no capacity to launch an attack on the EU today, but it could prepare itself in the years to come,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned in October.