In a written answer on 4 August 2026, Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas told the European Parliament that northern Germany remains a key EU military mobility hub, including its port infrastructure, and outlined a series of measures to remove regulatory and infrastructural obstacles. Responding to a question from David McAllister (PPE), the Commissioner highlighted the EU Military Mobility Package adopted in November 2025, which aims to simplify rules, introduce an emergency framework, promote pooling and sharing of capabilities, advance digitalisation, and strengthen governance. He also pointed to the goal of creating an EU-wide Military Mobility Area by 2027, paving the way to a 'Military Schengen' for large-scale troop and equipment transport.
The answer comes as the Commission, supported by the EU Military Staff and Member States, reviews transport infrastructure against military needs to identify key chokepoints, focusing on the four priority military mobility corridors set out in the Council's Military Requirements. Tzitzikostas noted that financial support for dual-use projects may come from several instruments, including the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), National and Regional Partnership Plans, and cohesion policy funds. Under the current Multiannual Financial Framework, EUR 1.69 billion has been allocated to 95 dual-use projects under CEF. For the next MFF, the Commission proposes increasing the CEF military mobility budget tenfold to EUR 17.65 billion. The European Investment Bank's new defence lending policy can also support such projects through loans and guarantees.
The response is largely declarative, reiterating existing commitments rather than announcing new concrete measures. It does not specify new regulatory proposals or financial allocations for northern Germany beyond the general framework. The Commission's assessment of northern Germany's capacity is positive, but the answer lacks detail on how specific bottlenecks—such as lengthy approval procedures and inconsistent national rules—will be addressed in practice. The proposal to increase CEF funding tenfold signals a strong commitment to dual-use infrastructure, but its impact depends on the next MFF negotiations. The Commission's focus on the four priority corridors and the 2027 Military Mobility Area target indicates a clear policy direction, with further legislative and budgetary steps expected in the coming months. Stakeholders, including port operators, logistics companies, and national authorities in northern Germany, stand to benefit from streamlined procedures and increased funding, but may face administrative burdens in accessing the new financial instruments.