Bridges not strong enough to withstand the passage of tanks over 60 tons, such as the American Abrams, armored platoons stuck at a border for administrative reasons, tunnels too narrow for certain types of vehicles or even too few trains to transport the heaviest equipment from one country to another …
Here are so many annoyances that could prevent the rapid deployment of NATO units in the event that the collective defense clause of article 5 is activated in eastern Europe … Knowing that, at one time, it It was estimated that at least seven divisions would have to be dispatched quickly in the event of military aggression against the Baltic States.
Moreover, in 2017, a confidential report, quoted by the German weekly Der Spiegel, came to the conclusion that “NATO’s ability to logistically support rapid reinforcement in the very large territory under the Supreme Command allied forces in Europe [SACEUR] had atrophied since the end of the Cold War. “All the more so since the organization has welcomed ex-Warsaw Pact countries into its ranks, with infrastructure standards different from those applied in Western Europe.
In March 2018, the European Commission, via the European External Action Service [SEAE], presented an action plan aimed at “improving military mobility within the European Union [UE], developed in consultation with NATO. “The aim is to work together at European level to ensure that road and rail networks are suitable for military transport and to simplify and streamline national rules for the rapid and smooth movement of troops and military vehicles on the continent in the event of a crisis “, it was explained at the time, to justify this” military Schengen area. “
Then there was a question of allocating 6.5 billion euros to improving military mobility within the EU, via the European multiannual financial framework for the period 2021-27. However, the negotiations between the 27 Member States turned out to be more complicated than expected, under pressure, in particular, from the so-called “frugal” countries. And, finally, after having been threatened for a while, the envelope was reduced to only 1.5 billion euros.
At the same time, “military mobility” was selected among the 47 projects of permanent structured cooperation [CSP ou PESCO] of the EU, under the responsibility of the Netherlands.
“This project supports the commitment of Member States to simplify and standardize cross-border military transport procedures in accordance with the Council conclusions of 25 June 2018. It aims to allow the free movement of personnel and military assets within borders of the EU. This means avoiding long bureaucratic procedures to cross the Member States of the EU, whether by rail, road, air or sea, ”he explains on the CSP website.
However, this permanent structured cooperation being “one of the constitutive elements of the defense policy of the EU”, the third States were obviously not intended to participate in it. A position contested by some Member States.
And, in November 2020, at the initiative of Germany, it was decided that third countries likely to bring “added value to a CSP project” could be invited to participate – and therefore possibly to benefit from European funding – on condition of fulfilling “a certain number of political, material and legal conditions. “
“In practice, when a third State submits a request to participate in a given CSP project, the members of the project must unanimously agree on the compliance of the request with all the conditions and notify the Council accordingly. and the High Representative accordingly. It is up to the Council to take the final decision specifying whether the participation of the third State in the project meets the required conditions, ”explains the European Commission.
While, while President Trump was in the White House, the United States strongly criticized the restrictions on third states to participate in the PSC, the Biden administration intends to take advantage of it, via the military mobility project. .
Thus, according to the Reuters agency, three NATO countries, including the United States, Canada and Norway recently sent a request to participate in this “military Schengen” project within the framework of the CSP.
This was confirmed by Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Campbell, a spokesman for the Pentagon. “The participation of the United States would add value to the project given the American expertise in troop and material movements across Europe,” he said on March 2, before indicating that Washington could also participate in other PUC projects. It remains to be seen how such participation could be translated, if it is accepted …
–
