The European Parliament recently approved the revision of the TEN-T Regulation. The new document presents a few takeaways, but one of the biggest changes is a brighter spotlight on military mobility and security across the Old Continent.
For example, additional railways and roads were included in the new TEN-T map “to enhance the synergies between civilian and military transport networks”. In addition, a new article (Article 48) was inserted in the TEN-T regulation specifically concerning military mobility. The article has two points.
First, Member States can decide to disregard some of the standards set by the Regulation “for the purpose of accommodating the weight, size or scale of military transport of troops and material”. Secondly, one year after the entry into force of the Regulation, “the Commission shall carry out a study to identify possibilities for short-notice large-scale movements across the Union, including military mobility”.
Also read: European Parliament to approve TEN-T revision
Keeping foreign investments in check
Moreover, the new TEN-T Regulation states that, when implementing new projects, due consideration should be given to security aspects that would facilitate the movement of military mobility. When it comes to rail, for example, new technologies such as sensors along bridges should be included.
Another factor addressed by the new regulation is the increasing foreign presence in European strategic infrastructure. “It is crucial to prevent third country presence that is likely to affect security or public order in the Union”, the document states. In other words, it seems that the EU will keep an extra eye on foreign investments in European infrastructure.
A new problem arisen from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
EU institutions have been vocal about the importance of enhancing military mobility in the continent since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Most of the new features of the Regulation concerning military mobility are based on a document approved by the EU Council in October 2023 called “Military Requirements for Military Mobility within and beyond the EU”.
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