Thu. Feb 13th, 2025

Brussels, 13 January 2025

The EU Council adopted today a decision confirming that the participation of Switzerland in the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) project ‘Military Mobility’ meets the general conditions set out in Decision (CFSP) 2020/1639 of November 2020, and will bring substantial added value to the project.

Today’s decision authorises the Netherlands as project coordinator to formally invite Switzerland to join this PESCO project, in response to Switzerland’s request of September 2024. Once Switzerland completes an administrative agreement with the project, they will become formal members.

The PESCO project ‘Military Mobility’ aims to simplify and standardise national cross-border military transport procedures. It enables the swift movement of military personnel and assets throughout the EU, be it via road, rail, sea, or air. Canada, Norway and the United States of America were invited to join the project in 2021, and in 2022, the United Kingdom was invited to join.

Background

The Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) is one of the pillars of EU Defence Policy. It provides a framework for defence cooperation among the 26 participating EU member states who have entered into more binding commitments between one another. They jointly develop defence capabilities, coordinate investments, enhance the operational readiness, interoperability and resilience of their armed forces, and collaborate in projects.

On 5 November 2020, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2020/1639 establishing the general conditions under which third states could exceptionally be invited to participate in individual PESCO projects. The countries applying must meet political, legal, and substantive conditions, including sharing the values on which the EU is founded and not contravene the security and defence interests of the EU and its member states.

 


PESCO Projects: Military Mobility (MM)

    The project supports member states’ commitment to simplify and standardize cross-border military transport procedures in line with the Council conclusions of 25th June 2018. It aims to enable the unhindered movement of military personnel and assets within the borders of the EU. This entails avoiding long bureaucratic procedures to move through or over EU member states, be it via rail, road, air or sea. Issues on which the project is currently focused are the sharing of best practices, implementing the deliverables of the FAC-Defence Council conclusions of 25th June 2018 and strategic communication.

    The overall aim of this project is to function as a platform for initiating, coordinating, and guiding the work to be done to improve military mobility in Europe.

    Supporting documents:
    More information on the project can be found here (PDF):
    Source – PESCO: Project information

    Source – EU Council

     

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