Bureaucratic red tape and poor planning stall EU’s military mobility, report reveals

Despite pouring billions into defence, Europe’s military remains gridlocked, unable to swiftly move troops and heavy equipment across the continent in the event of a crisis. 

According to a special report by the European Court of Auditors, cited by Der Spiegel, the EU’s ambitious military mobility strategy has stalled under bureaucratic red tape and poor planning, per Caliber.Az.

At the heart of the problem is the 2022 EU Military Mobility Action Plan, which was meant to streamline the movement of forces across borders. However, the report reveals that the European Commission failed to properly assess both the logistical needs and the financial burden before rolling out the plan. As a result, the modest €1.7 billion budget was completely depleted by the end of 2023, leaving a funding shortfall that will persist until at least 2027.

One of the most glaring issues highlighted by the auditors is that projects received funding even before the EU identified the most urgent priorities. Instead of focusing on critical infrastructure, resources were scattered across less strategic projects, leaving Europe’s defence network full of gaps.

And then, there’s the bureaucratic nightmare. In some EU countries, road traffic laws prevent tanks from crossing certain roads due to weight restrictions. In one instance, Der Spiegel notes, heavy military equipment had to take a long, expensive detour because moving along the direct route would have risked collapsing a bridge.

Ironically, EU nations have been ramping up defence spending. In 2023 alone, defence budgets soared to €280 billion, and preliminary estimates for 2024 put the figure at €326 billion. Yet, without a well-coordinated strategy, Europe’s military might remains stuck in neutral, unable to move when it matters most.

If a conflict were to erupt tomorrow, Europe’s armies wouldn’t be rushing to the front lines — they’d be stuck at the border, filling out paperwork and rerouting their convoys to avoid fragile bridges.

By Tamilla Hasanova