Every citizen should store enough to be self -sufficient for at least 72 hours in the event of a crisis, he warns, according to a plan by the Union’s strategy for the readiness he saw.
‘In the event of extreme disorders, the initial period is the most critical’states the document, which describes possible scenarios, from war to cyberattacks and from deadly diseases to floods.
And three years after its invasion of Ukraine, and with natural disasters and economic shocks always being present, the plan lands as Europe is trampled on from one crisis to another. “None of the great crises of recent years have been isolated or short -lived”says the document.
The executive vice -chairman of the Commission, Roxana Minzatou, is expected to present the strategy on Wednesday. Her message is ‘Make your roof as long as the sun shines’Minzatou told Politico before the publication, adding that the committee’s goal is “To help people … at the household level”.
According to the 17 -page plan, the strategy should “Create a safe and durable EU with the skills needed to predict and manage threats and risks, regardless of their nature or origin.”
This includes providing guidance to member states to “cover the storage of basic supplies, crisis planning, refuge availability, measures to ensure the availability of critical territories and spaces,” the proposal said.
A few weeks after the preparedness plan says it is “urgent” for the EU and its countries to boost readiness in all areas.
Enemy agents
And the preparation for war is right there. Although it does not bring new defense initiatives, the strategy proposes a crisis management model derived from the northern European countries, where the whole society is involved – from citizens to business and governments. The committee’s plan is based on the conclusions of the Niinistö report, which has submitted proposals to improve EU preparation for war and political defense.
The threat of geopolitical conflicts can come both virtually and in the form of military attacks.
Europe should be more prepared for cyber attacks, the plan said. Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Russia has increased its activity in cyberspace, targeting, inter alia, critical infrastructure such as energy networks. Europe’s eastern wing has experienced a wave of cyber attacks in particular.
China, Iran and North Korea are also systematically targeted western governments, companies and other basic institutions. The hybrid and cyberattacks funded by the state have become a “permanent feature of today’s reality,” the document argues.
A key proposal is to create a “European cyber security alarm system”, which, according to the Commission, will improve the detection of threats and the awareness of the situation in Europe. It also proposes digital training and assistance for countries hoping to join the EU, demanding more use of diplomacy in cyberspace and better cooperation with NATO.
Companies also have to play an active role in readiness, as there is a need for information and participation in “strategic prediction and prevention initiatives” as well as training.
“The EU must promote cooperation between public and private organizations in strategic areas such as cyber security, ensuring that the needs of the workforce and the educational offer are aligned,” according to the plan.
Natural disasters
The readiness “is not just about possible anthropogenic conflicts,” Mînzatu said. “It’s about how we react to the floods- we saw what happened in Spain,” which suffered from “monstrous” floods last year, killing hundreds of people.
Many people do not know what to do in front of natural disasters, Mînzatu said. “All of these types of crises require a set of basic skills, some understanding and knowledge of what to do first,” he said.
The Commission proposes a EU strategy strategy to enhance access to critical resources, including for emergency and disaster, medical countermeasures, critical raw materials, energy equipment and possibly food and water. According to the report, the strategy will combine EU central reserves with countries’ contributions.
It will also present a strategy to support medical countermeasures against public health threats – which will be supplemented by the emergency reserves proposed by critical medicines law.
And the Commission wants to strengthen its coordination to tackle crisis by creating a “crisis coordination hub” based on the existing Emergency Coordination Center (ERCC). The hub will focus on the prediction and management of crisis consequences in all areas, provide support for crisis management in the main services and monitor the overall response to crisis.
While some EU countries want to focus on defense investments, others consider climate -related issues more important. Mînzatu argued that these are the two sides of the same coin.
“You can’t have defense, you can’t have a green Europe without readiness and you can’t have readiness by ignoring the green ambitions and green goals of the EU,” he said. The best preparation will also require more flexible cash access.
The Commission proposes the review of funding to deal with crisis to ensure that crisis funding mechanisms are expandable and can be adapted to the evolving risks and crisis. The executive also plans to integrate the readiness to EU external investment, including by escalating the implementation of climate change and resilience to the Partners.
In order to consolidate these measures, the Commission is studying a new legislative set to determine standards and long -term long -term preparedness goals.
“The Commission will evaluate the need and feasibility of an EU law on the readiness to enhance the resilience of vital social functions by defining common standards and long -term long -term goals,” the document said.
Preparedness and security will be “integrated and integrated” into European law, policies and programs, according to the document, which lists 30 basic actions in seven issues, such as the co -operation of the political and military sector, the public and private cooperation and the readiness of the population.
An annex to the project lists about 60 basic actions to be implemented within the next two years, including intensifying the monitoring of false news, evaluating the level of readiness in financial services and integrating readiness into school programs.
