Safety

Benelux and BIVEC-GIBET bring together experts on military mobility: “Resilience is becoming increasingly essential”

16 Mar. 2026

Benelux and BIVEC-GIBET (The Benelux Interuniversity Association of Transport Researchers ) organized a seminar on 16 March dedicated to military mobility and its impact on our transport and logistics systems. This topic is gaining importance rapidly, as Europe faces new geopolitical tensions and an increasing need for fast and secure military movements. The Secretary‑General of Benelux, Ariadne Petridis, opened the seminar with a welcoming address before participating in the meeting.

During the seminar, several leading experts addressed the theme, each from the perspective of their own area of expertise.

Professor Johan Woxenius (University of Gothenburg) opened the afternoon with a historical review. He demonstrated how past international crises placed heavy pressure on logistics networks, while also showing the capacity of these systems to demonstrate resilience when public authorities and sectors collaborate.

Brigadier General Katrien D’Hert of the Belgian Ministry of Defence then linked the discussion to today’s geopolitical context. According to her, “smooth and reliable military mobility is essential in order to react quickly in an uncertain world.” She emphasized the importance of strong infrastructure and effective cross‑border cooperation.

Albert Veenstra (Rotterdam School of Management) focused on customs and border procedures involved in large‑scale troop movements. He illustrated the complexity of these processes and stressed the need for better administrative harmonization between countries to avoid time loss.

The seminar concluded with a round table moderated by Simon Van Hoeymissen (Centre for Security and Defence Studies). Participants discussed, among other things, how Europe can better prepare for future crises and improve coordination between civil and military logistics.

This meeting provided valuable insights. The Benelux General Secretariat will continue its work on this topic in order to support the Member States in facing the new obligations and growing challenges related to military mobility and resilience.