The European Union aims for each member country to create a 72-hour emergency package for residents to cope with potential future crises under its Enhanced Readiness Initiative. This strategy also emphasizes increasing reserves of crucial resources and enhancing collaboration between civilians and military entities.

On Wednesday, the European Commission presented a strategy comprising 30 specific measures they believe EU member countries should implement to enhance readiness for possible future emergencies. These could include events such as natural disasters, industrial incidents, and assaults by malevolent entities in cyberspace or military contexts.

“In the European Union, we need to think differently as the challenges here are distinct, and we should aim higher since these challenges are also more significant,” said Hadja Lahbib, the Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, to journalists.

Roxana Mînzatu, who represents the Commission for Preparedness, stated beside her that the group is “not beginning with nothing.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that working collectively with unity, collaboration, and within the European Union structure is utterly essential. It is this approach that enhances our effectiveness and fortifies our strength,” she stated.

A major focus area highlighted is improving public readiness, as the Commission has called upon member countries to guarantee their residents possess an emergency pack enabling them to be independent for at least three days should they become disconnected from vital provisions.

Various countries already possess similar regulations but with different timelines. For example, France mandates keeping a 72-hour emergency supply which comprises provisions like sustenance, hydration, pharmaceuticals, a handheld radio, an extra battery-powered lamp, additional power sources, charging devices, currency, duplicates of crucial paperwork such as prescription forms, secondary sets of keys, thermal attire, and fundamental implements including multi-tools.

The Commission’s proposal seeks to standardize regulations among the 27 member countries with the intention of ensuring that “each person has, so to speak, a playbook for actions to take once alarms sound,” stated an anonymous high-ranking European Union official.

“The degree of readiness varies significantly throughout the Union and among various member states. Different countries interpret preparedness quite differently,” the official further explained.

Increased stockpiles

A major aspect of this strategy involves boosting reserves of vital gear and supplies, including medical countermeasures like vaccines, drugs, and healthcare devices, along with crucial raw materials needed for the ongoing manufacturing of strategic equipment, as well as energy-related apparatus.

Brussels has already presented a proposition aimed at increasing the reserves storage.

essential minerals

and plans to unveil, prior to summer, a strategy for building up stocks

critical medicines

, a skill that resides with individual countries.

The preparedness strategy seeks to “unite these efforts and determine how the stockpiles complement one another, as well as share common experiences for mutual learning,” according to a second high-ranking European Union official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

This might involve establishing additional reserves at the European Union level for civil protection purposes, which would complement the existing supplies provided through the RescUE mechanism. However, “a portion of these resources could be maintained at the national level; others may consist of virtual arrangements, essentially pacts with the private sector; still, others could take the form of tangible assets.”

“We need to address this: What’s the optimal setup to ensure that essential social services continue uninterrupted under every circumstance?” the official noted additionally.

Addressing ‘blind spots’ in responding to crises

Enhancing collaboration between civilian and military entities during emergencies is highlighted as a crucial objective. The Commission mentioned they would create a preparatory structure that outlines distinct tasks and duties for both sectors. Additionally, they have requested routine drills to evaluate effective procedures.

“One of the officials mentioned earlier stated, ‘Unfortunately, reality provides us with numerous instances of the types of threats we must prepare for,’ which encompass acts of vandalism, misinformation efforts, and cyber assaults,” he added.

The official also mentioned that determining the responsibilities of civil and military leadership has already begun, referring to instances of vandalism in the Baltic Sea region.

They further stated, ‘We are currently examining our responses and identifying areas of oversight, assessing where we can improve efficiency and agility, as well as exploring additional actions we might take.’

This entire effort will be supported by a newly established EU crisis coordination hub, along with regular risk and threat assessments, starting with the initial report due out at the end of 2026.

When asked about the lengthy duration—over a year—for producing this document, an official explained that it involves a “complicated” procedure characterized by numerous inputs from various member countries. Additionally, they mentioned that these contributions are combined with findings from other sector-specific assessments issued at differing intervals.

To synthesize all this, analyze it thoroughly, and create a comprehensible document with valuable insights requires some time. This is why rushing into it within just a few weeks isn’t ideal, as there’s a chance that important details might be missed (…), along with crucial analyses and data points,” they explained.

In the interim, the Commission will issue impromptu early warning notifications and will establish a crisis dashboard this year to maintain member states informed about impending risks and collect data for preparation purposes.