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Enable troop and equipment movement across EU borders within three days in peacetime
Reduce that to six hours during emergencies
Eliminate bureaucratic delays through a “Military Schengen” system
To achieve this, the EU is identifying and upgrading around 500 critical infrastructure points, including bridges, tunnels, ports, and railways capable of supporting heavy military equipment.
The estimated cost ranges between €70 and €100 billion, funded through a mix of national budgets and EU programs such as the Connecting Europe Facility.
ReArm Europe: The Financial Engine Behind the Push
NATO Should Start Preparing Troops For a Nuclear Battlefield – Defense One
In 2025, Brussels launched ReArm Europe, a central coordination platform designed to align national defence investments and accelerate industrial capacity.
Europe’s defence sector has long suffered from fragmentation—multiple national systems, incompatible equipment, and duplicated procurement. ReArm Europe aims to change that.
Under its umbrella are two key tools:
EDIP (European Defence Industry Programme)
€1.5 billion for joint research, development, and production
Projects must involve at least three EU countries (or two plus Ukraine)
SAFE (Strategic Armament Financing Envelope)
€150 billion EU-level loan facility
Enables joint weapons procurement at lower cost and faster speed
Together, these mechanisms encourage countries to pool resources, negotiate better contracts, and ensure new systems can work together seamlessly.
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