10th November, 2017
The European Union would consider how it could make the movement of military equipment and personnel easy within Europe, the European Commission said on Friday.
The EU’s steps to increase military mobility to Europe is to boost the bloc’s security and defence preparedness,
In a communication sent to the European Parliament and the EU member states, the commission outlined needs and requirements for greater military mobility, including updating civilian infrastructure, such as roads and bridges that might be used by the military.
“We need to be able to react effectively to internal and external crisis situations,’’ said European Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc.
The commission outlined physical, legal and regulatory barriers that hinder military mobility, citing “today’s unpredictable security environment.’’
The communication sets in motion a series of discussions on the matter.
The commission would present an action plan with concrete recommendations in March 2018.
The move comes just days after NATO decided to upgrade its command structure to ensure the swift movement of troops across the Atlantic and within Europe.