ESPO encourages MEPs to fully endorse Military Mobility Report

The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) has welcomed the final draft of the European Parliament’s report on military mobility, considering it a comprehensive and forward-looking contribution to strengthening military mobility across Europe.

ESPO therefore urged Members of the European Parliament to endorse the report at its Plenary Session slated for December 15-18.

The report is jointly prepared by the Committee on Security and Defence (SEDE) and the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) of the European Parliament.

“We welcome this report as a timely and important contribution to enhancing Europe’s military mobility. It clearly recognises the strategic role of ports and addresses several priorities essential to ensuring military readiness while safeguarding resilience and the smooth functioning of commercial port operations. As discussions on the new Military Mobility Regulation begin, Europe’s ports stand ready to work with the EU institutions to help translate these recommendations into concrete and effective measures. We would like to thank the rapporteurs and shadow rapporteurs for the work on this report,” said Isabelle Ryckbost, ESPO Secretary General.

European maritime ports appreciate that many of their recommendations have been reflected in the final draft. In particular, ports welcome that the report:

recognises the strategic role of ports as critical nodes in military mobility corridors, serving as key entry and exit points for large-scale military deployments and enabling sea-to-land transport integration; and calls for investments to strengthen port capabilities and capacity to support military operations;

calls for a harmonised and simplified framework for cross-border military transport permissions, including more uniform, digitalised and expedited procedures to advance an effective ‘military Schengen’, while also urging the Commission to establish a new operational and legal framework to help manage crisis situations;

supports maintaining a strong, dedicated CEF envelope for military mobility and advocates safeguarded funding under the next MFF, including reinforced financial instruments that better support investments in port infrastructure;

underlines the need to streamline CEF application procedures for dual-use infrastructure projects and calls for revising the current public procurement rules, including granting targeted exemptions for infrastructure projects and assets with a significant military or dual-use component;”

acknowledges the essential commercial role of ports in supply chains and trade, highlighting their contribution to the Union’s economic resilience and the need for contingency planning for the diversion of civilian cargo if necessary ;

calls for reinforced protection of critical infrastructure, including ports, against physical, hybrid and cyber threats

This report is particularly timely, as the Commission has now presented its proposal for a new Military Mobility Regulation and discussions in the Council and Parliament are about to begin. ESPO has started examining this new package and   stand ready to continue engaging constructively in this process and to help translate the report’s recommendations into practical tools and measures under the forthcoming Regulation.