EU Moves Closer to ‘Military Schengen’ Agreement, Aiming for Borderless Troop Movement by Year’s End
VILNIUS – The European Union is on track to potentially establish a common military mobility area by the end of 2026, a move described as a “military Schengen” that would streamline the movement of troops and equipment across member states. The initiative, gaining momentum in response to security concerns highlighted by the war in Ukraine, seeks to eliminate bureaucratic hurdles and infrastructure bottlenecks that currently impede rapid military deployment.
Rimantas Sinkevicius, chairman of the Lithuanian parliament’s Committee on National Security and Defense (CNSD), stated on Wednesday that the EU has “recognized the need to harmonize the movement of military units across the bloc.” He explained that the European Commission has launched an initiative to boost and align military mobility, ensuring that member states can receive necessary military assistance with minimal obstacles.
“Such a regulation will likely be adopted (…) and the legal framework for crossing national borders without hindrance will be put in place (…). I believe this will be done this year. So we could have a ‘military Schengen’ in place as early as this year,” Sinkevicius added.
Currently, the process of obtaining permits for military units to cross national borders within the EU can be lengthy, taking anywhere from several days to as long as 45 days, according to information presented to the CNSD. The proposed “military Schengen” aims to drastically reduce this timeframe, potentially to just three days, as outlined in recent EU plans.
The push for enhanced military mobility is not limited to the EU level. In late January, the defense ministers of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia agreed to create a joint military mobility area. Lithuanian Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas emphasized that this agreement would enable a swift and coordinated response to regional security challenges, allowing military assets to be deployed to defend neighboring countries as needed. For example, Lithuanian forces could move freely to defend Riga, Estonian artillery could support Vilnius, and Latvian capabilities could back up Tallinn, and vice versa.
This regional initiative is part of the broader 3B Military Mobility Area project, launched in 2023 under NATO coordination. The long-term goal of the 3B project, and now the EU-wide initiative, is to create an integrated military mobility area spanning the entire European continent.
A key component of achieving this goal is upgrading existing infrastructure. Sinkevicius highlighted the need for improvements to railways, roads, bridges, and other critical infrastructure to facilitate the smooth movement of military personnel, and equipment. The EU has already allocated 1.7 billion euros for military mobility projects in the previous financial period, and is now planning to invest over 17 billion euros.
EU Budget Commissioner Piotr Serafin has indicated that funding for military mobility projects from a dedicated fund will increase tenfold. While the exact amount Lithuania will receive remains uncertain, Sinkevicius noted that it will depend on the strength of the country’s proposals and the specific projects submitted. The new EU budget covering the period from 2028 to 2034 will be crucial in determining the level of investment.
The development of a “military Schengen” reflects a growing recognition within the EU of the need to enhance its defense capabilities and preparedness in a rapidly changing security environment. The initiative aims to address long-standing administrative and logistical challenges that have historically hindered the rapid deployment of military forces across the bloc, ultimately strengthening European security and defense cooperation.
