Dual-Use Infrastructure and Military Mobility in EU Funding
Recitals in the amended cohesion regulation explicitly encourage the financing of defence infrastructure and mobility. The text underlines that Member States are allowed to transfer cohesion resources into the military mobility envelope of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), ensuring coordinated support along the Union’s Priority Military Mobility Corridors. It also specifies that investments in dual-use infrastructure should be prioritised, highlighting that projects serving both civilian and military purposes receive preferential treatment. This recognition broadens the role of cohesion policy, making transport upgrades such as roads, bridges, railways and ports eligible for funding if they meet military requirements. By formally linking cohesion with military mobility, the EU leverages civilian networks to improve resilience and readiness. Regional budgets can now be reoriented towards corridors and hubs that are simultaneously vital for economic connectivity and defence logistics. The result is a dual dividend: improved supply chains in peacetime and reinforced capacity for rapid deployment in crises. This marks a structural integration of transport security into cohesion programmes, shifting them from purely economic projects to pillars of defence preparedness.