Europe’s New Mobility Architecture: The Infrastructure Behind Deterrence
Europe is entering a phase in which the defence of its territory depends increasingly on the speed with which troops, armour and critical equipment can be moved across borders, supported by infrastructure that until now was designed primarily for civilian traffic. This shift has created a new strategic reality in which bridges, tunnels, railheads, ports and road corridors have become the decisive enablers of deterrence, rather than background elements of transport policy. The European Commission’s new Military Mobility Package, with its investment envelope of €17.65 billion and its plan to eliminate roughly 500 infrastructure choke points, marks the most extensive reconfiguration of Europe’s logistical foundations in decades. Yet its full implications for defence, industry, logistics and geopolitical stability remain insufficiently understood, despite the fact that the proposal will influence the ability of European states to deter or withstand pressure during the critical years ahead. This report examines those implications with precision and situates the initiative within the broader trajectory of European defence integration and its emerging concept of strategic enablement. Readers who follow Defence Finance Monitor know that understanding these infrastructural and regulatory transitions is essential for anticipating how Europe’s deterrence posture is being rebuilt.