Amid the war in Ukraine and Trump’s criticism of NATO allies, several European states have moved to boost their own security and defence capabilities.
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One of the key components of a country’s defence is its military, increasingly supported in Europe by conscripted reserves. Currently, conscription measures vary greatly across the EU.
At least 10 member states have conscription in place, including Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, and Estonia.
Among these countries, Austria, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Latvia and Lithuania make it mandatory only for men, while Denmark and Sweden make it compulsory for both men and women.
Conscription in these countries can last up to 15 months, with Croatia requesting the shortest period of service, at two months.
On the other hand, the other EU countries provide voluntary military service, but they vary in how it is applied.
For example, 18-year-old German men living in Germany face mandatory registration and are required to fill out a questionnaire in which they can signal their interest in fully enlisting.
What are the latest changes in Europe?
Around 800 Croatians reported for compulsory military service at the beginning of March this year.
Croatia’s parliament voted to reintroduce compulsory military service last October, after it was suspended in 2008 when the country shifted to a volunteer system.
The programme offers benefits such as a €1,100 monthly allowance, work record credit (meaning the time spent serving counts towards their overall work experience) and preferential access to public-sector employment.
In Germany, since the beginning of 2026, German men aged 17 to 45 need to seek approval for stays abroad for more than three months, even though approval is, in principle, regarded as a formality.
The requirement is part of the Military Service Modernisation Act, which extends a restriction previously limited to states of tension or defence to peacetime.
Recruitment and retention
Military personnel numbers shrank by 16% on average between 2010 and 2020, according to the latest figures from the European Organisation of Military Associations and Trade Unions (EUROMIL).
Belgium and Germany saw the largest decreases, at 26.5% and 25%, respectively.
On the other hand, Hungary and Sweden registered the biggest increases, both at 25%.
Low wages, work-life imbalance and negative work environment are among the top reasons affecting retention rates in each country’s armed forces, according to EUROMIL.
For women in the military, there are additional hurdles.
Despite women in the military being less likely to be associated with drug issues or having a criminal record than their male counterparts, women soldiers face issues ranging from sexual assault and harassment to not having a women’s uniform available.
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