Military mobility: investing in Europe’s security and resilience

In March, with the adoption of its opinion on military mobility, the EESC underlines that Europe’s security depends on the rapid and reliable movement of military forces across the Union.

For the TEN Section, this is not merely a defence issue, but a matter of transport resilience and infrastructure readiness, particularly for frontline and transit Member States. Simplifying and harmonising rules is essential, but this must be done while preserving civilian transport capacity and safeguarding workers who will be central to implementation.

Our opinion also stresses that military mobility can only succeed if it is built on dual use infrastructure and supported by stable, long term financing. Public funding at EU level must be reinforced, but this alone will not be sufficient: clear governance, legal certainty and predictable frameworks are needed to mobilise private investment and avoid fragmented implementation. By combining public and private financing with social dialogue and democratic oversight, the EESC calls for a credible and sustainable approach to strengthening Europe’s security and competitiveness.

Marcin NOWACKI 

President of the TEN Section of the European  Economic and Social Committee

The thematic discussion on the forthcoming EU Delivery Act highlighted the rapid transformation of postal markets. Speakers noted declining letter volumes alongside booming parcel demand, calling for a modernised universal service framework. While some advocated public funding, regulatory flexibility and stronger consumer protections, others warned against overextending obligations that could burden SMEs. Key themes included harmonised definitions, fair competition, improved infrastructure investment, and safeguarding rural access and consumer rights.

The debate on the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) and competitive energy focused on balancing decarbonisation with industrial competitiveness. Discussions underscored the need for price stability and suitable grids to encourage the energy transition, ETS reform for protection against carbon leakage, targeted use of ETS revenues and support for industry and workers. Ensuring affordable energy while advancing climate goals remains a central EU challenge.

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has maintained an active role in shaping Europe’s nuclear energy and civil society engagement agenda in early 2026. Through these activities, the EESC continues to bridge policy, industry, and civil society, ensuring that Europe’s energy transition remains inclusive, secure, and forward-looking.

In January, Alena Mastantuono, Vice-President of the EESC responsible for budgetary matters and co-rapporteur for Nuclear Illustrative Programme, and Marcin Nowacki, President of the TEN Section, contributed to the first Stakeholders’ Forum on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) in Brussels, organised by the European Industrial Alliance on SMRs and the European Commission. The event brought together hundreds of stakeholders - from EU institutions to industry and civil society - explore SMRs’ role in Europe’s energy transition. Later that month, Ms Mastantuono and Dumitru Fornea, Rapporteur for Nuclear Illustrative Programme, joined a delegation to URENCO’s facility in the Netherlands, focusing on stable isotope production and uranium enrichment - key areas linked to the EESC’s work on medical radioisotope security (Europe's Beating Cancer Plan: Driving forces for the security of medical radioisotopes supply). Meanwhile, Philippe Charry and Simo Tiainen participated in EURAD-2’s Interaction of Civil Society workshop, reinforcing the EESC’s commitment to safe radioactive waste management and civic engagement in nuclear safety.

In February, Ms Mastantuono presented the EESC’s recommendations at the European Business Nuclear Alliance, emphasising nuclear energy’s indispensable role in achieving climate neutrality by 2050 while ensuring strategic autonomy and industrial competitiveness. She also highlighted the need for dialogue with civil society to build trust in energy transitions.

By March, the EESC’s engagement had extended to high-level international forums. Mr Fornea and Mr Nowacki attended the Nuclear Energy Summit in Paris, where European Commission President von der Leyen announced €200 million in EU guarantees to accelerate SMR development, a critical step in Europe’s decarbonisation and energy security strategy. Later, Mr Fornea, Mr Nowacki, and Christophe Béguinet, Rapporteur for the exploratory opinion on energy connectivity requested by the Cyprus Presidency, joined a debate on the future of Spain’s Almaraz nuclear plant, hosted by MEP Pilar del Castillo and Nucleareurope.

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Christophe Béguinet spoke at the Confrontations Europe Partnership event, "Ensuring a reliable and affordable access to energy: an economic and political priority for Europe!", where he presented key insights as EESC rapporteur for the exploratory opinion on energy connectivity and electricity grids requested by the Cyprus Presidency. In his intervention, he urged a more coordinated European approach to electricity infrastructure, warning that fragmented strategies risk undermining the continent’s energy resilience. Closing the discussion, he stressed that the EU’s electricity system must be designed at European level, based on common energy scenarios developed jointly by the European Commission, Member States, and system operators. A truly future-proof grid requires robust national transmission and distribution networks, critical to upholding European solidarity. Electricity system security is non-negotiable, as well as decisive action to counter climate risks, physical and cyber threats, and the escalating challenges of system stability. 

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Following extensive consultations with DG DEFIS, DG MOVE, NATO, the International Red Cross, and key industry representatives, the EESC adopted its opinion on the proposed EU Regulation on Military Mobility, a landmark initiative to bolster Europe’s defence logistics capabilities. The March sessions of the TEN Section and Plenary featured high-level debates on the proposal’s strategic implications. With the EESC’s position now established, the ball lies with the European Parliament and Council to accelerate its adoption. Swift action is essential to ensure unhindered cross-border military transport—a cornerstone of the EU’s defence readiness. As Maja Bakran, Deputy Director-General of DG MOVE, succinctly stated: "We cannot defend Europe if we cannot move across it.“

Milena Angelova, EESC Rapporteur for the exploratory opinion on The European Life Science Strategy and Research Infrastructures with a focus on rare disease treatments, spoke at the 8th European Health, Tourism & Investment (HTI) Summit. In her intervention, she highlighted health tourism (medical, spa, and wellness) as a key driver for boosting Europe’s competitiveness and positioning the EU as a global leader in life sciences. She urged policymakers to unlock Europe’s untapped potential by integrating European Health Destinations into broader EU health policies, ensuring a cohesive strategy that leverages the continent’s world-class research, innovation, and wellness infrastructure. The opinion, requested by the Cyprus Presidency, underscores how strategic investment in health tourism can strengthen economic resilience while advancing cutting-edge treatments, particularly for rare diseases.

The EESC’s Permanent Group on Transport hosted a debate on the European Commission’s High-Speed Rail Action Plan, published in November 2025. Four months on, the discussion is moving from ambition to implementation, focusing on concrete steps to turn proposals into progress. A Commission representative joined key stakeholders - including the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER), the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF), the European Passengers’ Federation (EPF), and Eurocities to explore how to accelerate the development of a seamless, Europe-wide high-speed rail network, strengthen cross-border connections, and enhance interoperability within the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T).The exchange underscored the need for coordinated effort - between policymakers, industry, and civil society - to deliver a rail system that is fast, reliable, and fit for Europe’s future mobility demands.

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