European Union citizens should stockpile enough food and other essential supplies to sustain them for at least 72 hours in the event of a crisis, the EU Commission has said.
In new guidance released Wednesday, the commission stressed the need for Europe to shift its mindset, to foster a culture of “preparedness” and “resilience.”
The 18-page document warns that Europe is facing a new reality marred with risk and uncertainty, citing Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine, rising geopolitical tensions, sabotage of critical infrastructure, and electronic warfare as prominent factors.
The Brussels initiative appears to serve as a wake-up call for members states to the gravity of the bloc’s security situation.
An ever-present threat from Russia has prompted European leaders to stress the need for war-readiness. As has the Trump administration’s confrontational approach towards Europe, particularly on contributions to NATO and on the war in Ukraine, which has sparked a race on the continent to shore up its own military readiness.
The Commission’s European Preparedness Union Strategy says citizens across the continent should adopt practical measures to ensure they are ready in case of an emergency. This includes having enough essential supplies to last them for a minimum of three days, the document says. “In the case of extreme disruptions, the initial period is the most critical,” it says.
Overall, civilians should be encouraged to foster self-reliance and psychological resilience, the document states.
The commission also calls for the introduction of “preparedness” lessons in the school curricula, including giving pupils the skills to fight disinformation and information manipulation.
“New realities require a new level of preparedness in Europe,” President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said in a statement. “Our citizens, our Member States, and our businesses need the right tools to act both to prevent crises and to react swiftly when a disaster hits.”
The European Commission’s guidance on Wednesday comes after individual counties have been updating their contingency plans.
In June last year, Germany updated its Framework Directive for Overall Defense, giving direction on what to do should conflict break out in Europe. Unveiling the plans at the time, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said they were necessary for her country to arm itself better in the face of Russian aggression.