The European Commission on 18 November unveiled a draft regulation that would create a so-called “military Schengen”, dramatically cutting the red tape that currently slows the movement of troops and defence equipment across internal EU borders. Under the proposal, all 27 member states—including Czechia—would have to decide on requests for military transit permits within three days and accept a single, standardised application form. The plan also establishes a ‘Solidarity Pool’ of rail wagons, aircraft and heavy-lift trucks that countries can book at short notice.
For Prague, the timing is critical. The Czech Republic controls two east–west motorway corridors (D5/D11) and four main rail lines that NATO planners consider priority routes for rapid reinforcement of the Baltic States and Slovakia. At present, moving a German armoured battalion from Bavaria to Lithuania can require up to 17 separate authorisations, three of which must be issued by Czech agencies. Streamlining those checkpoints could shave 24–48 hours off deployment times—an eternity in modern deterrence calculations.
![EU proposes ‘military Schengen’; Czech transit permits would be issued in three days]()
Beyond defence, the regulation has business-mobility implications. Contractors that supply meal services, fuel, IT support and temporary accommodation to allied forces would see their logistics chains speed up and simplify. Czech haulage companies, which already handle an estimated 30 % of NATO transit freight through Central Europe, could gain new revenue as preferred carriers for urgent cross-border moves. Human-resources teams in the aerospace and engineering sectors should prepare for more short-notice assignment requests as multinationals chase defence-supply opportunities.
The proposal will be formally tabled at next week’s General Affairs Council. EU diplomats say they expect push-back from some capitals worried about road-toll revenues and environmental impact, but Prague’s defence and transport ministries have signalled support. If adopted without major changes, the new rules could take effect as early as mid-2026, coinciding with Czechia’s own upgrade of border-control IT systems for the civilian Entry/Exit System (EES).
In the meantime, global-mobility managers should map staff-travel protocols against the draft text. The three-day permit window applies only to military personnel and equipment, but the Czech Interior Ministry confirms that civilian drivers accompanying convoys would also be covered—potentially accelerating visa or work-authorisation processing for embedded contractors.
For Prague, the timing is critical. The Czech Republic controls two east–west motorway corridors (D5/D11) and four main rail lines that NATO planners consider priority routes for rapid reinforcement of the Baltic States and Slovakia. At present, moving a German armoured battalion from Bavaria to Lithuania can require up to 17 separate authorisations, three of which must be issued by Czech agencies. Streamlining those checkpoints could shave 24–48 hours off deployment times—an eternity in modern deterrence calculations.
Beyond defence, the regulation has business-mobility implications. Contractors that supply meal services, fuel, IT support and temporary accommodation to allied forces would see their logistics chains speed up and simplify. Czech haulage companies, which already handle an estimated 30 % of NATO transit freight through Central Europe, could gain new revenue as preferred carriers for urgent cross-border moves. Human-resources teams in the aerospace and engineering sectors should prepare for more short-notice assignment requests as multinationals chase defence-supply opportunities.
The proposal will be formally tabled at next week’s General Affairs Council. EU diplomats say they expect push-back from some capitals worried about road-toll revenues and environmental impact, but Prague’s defence and transport ministries have signalled support. If adopted without major changes, the new rules could take effect as early as mid-2026, coinciding with Czechia’s own upgrade of border-control IT systems for the civilian Entry/Exit System (EES).
In the meantime, global-mobility managers should map staff-travel protocols against the draft text. The three-day permit window applies only to military personnel and equipment, but the Czech Interior Ministry confirms that civilian drivers accompanying convoys would also be covered—potentially accelerating visa or work-authorisation processing for embedded contractors.
