The EESC is placing a very heavy stone at the heart of the EU’s military mobility debate, noting that the European institutions must join forces with all relevant stakeholders to make the European Union safe and ready to act, both in times of crisis and in times of peace.

The EU is currently facing a paradox: it has built the world’s most sophisticated single market, where goods cross borders quickly and seamlessly. However, when it comes to moving the tools and assets of its own security, there are still obstacles, both literal and bureaucratic.

‘Further action and stronger civil-military cooperation are needed. This is not optional – it is the only way forward, and it must be built on trust and transparency’, said EESC President Séamus Boland during the debate held at the EESC March plenary. ‘Military mobility is not about tanks on highways – it is about trust between soldiers and civilians, between governments and transporters. We either build that trust, or we risk breaking under pressure’.

Mr Boland added: ‘this is not a job for governments alone. It is a job for all of us: the policymakers who write the rules, the military planners, the companies that build the networks, the transport operators who move more cargo in a week than some armies do in a year, the workers who keep everything running, the medics who must be on alert, the drivers who deliver, and above all, the citizens who depend on all of them’.

Along the same lines, Maja Bakran, Deputy Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE), confirmed the need to join hands at all levels. She referred to the proposal Military Mobility Package, which was presented by the European Commission and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy in November 2025 to ensure that troops, equipment and military assets can move swiftly across the EU.

By adopting the opinion drafted by Tomas Arvidsson, the EESC provides an essential contribution in order to overcome the barriers to military mobility.

Military mobility is the backbone of European independence. It is not only the concern of generals and defence officials, and it must be made possible through three key angles: infrastructure, social respect and borders. (mp)