"If an army sought today to move from a western European port to the EU's eastern border with Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, it would encounter significant obstacles and delays, say EU officials. They point to bridges that cannot bear the weight of tanks, railway tunnels that are too small and track gauges too narrow to accommodate military vehicles, as well as EU paperwork on working time and customs."
"According to the EU's auditors, another unnamed member state once denied entry to a convoy of tanks because they violated weight limits in local road traffic laws. If a bridge cannot carry a 60-tonne tank, we have a problem. If a runway is too short for a cargo plane, we cannot resupply our crews, said the EU foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, who described the 45-day permission rule as not good enough 11 years after Russia's annexation of Crimea."
The EU executive pledged to simplify rules and adapt infrastructure to speed movement of armies and tanks across Europe. A military mobility plan aims to ensure Europe can defend itself by 2030 amid warnings that Russia could be able to attack an EU member state within five years. Current obstacles include bridges unable to bear tank weight, narrow railway tunnels and track gauges, short runways, and burdensome EU paperwork on working time and customs. Some member states require lengthy notice for troop movements and have denied convoys for legal weight limits. Proposals include a military Schengen zone and emergency cross-border procedures to underpin NATO planning.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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