EU announces Preparedness Union Strategy for emergencies

ISTANBUL

The EU announced the "Preparedness Union Strategy" to boost the bloc's ability to anticipate, prevent, and respond to threats, according to a statement by the European Commission on Wednesday.

"The strategy aims to enhance the EU’s civilian and military preparedness and readiness for future crises so that all actors are ready and capable of responding quickly and effectively if needed," it said.

The strategy encourages the member states to increase stockpiles of critical equipment and encourage the public to stock at least 72 hours' worth of supplies for complex threats and challenges such as natural disasters, war, or geopolitical crises.

Basic social services will be maintained in times of crisis. In this context, minimum preparedness criteria will be developed for basic services such as hospitals, schools, transportation, and telecommunications.

Stocks of critical equipment and supplies, including water, will be increased in member states.

The public will be encouraged to have enough basic supplies and necessities for at least 72 hours in emergencies, and coordination in crisis response will also be improved.

An EU crisis coordination hub will be established to improve integration between existing EU crisis structures.

Civil and military cooperation will be strengthened as regular readiness exercises will be held across the EU, bringing together armed forces, civil protection, police, health workers, and firefighters.

A comprehensive risk and threat assessment will be developed to help prevent crises such as natural disasters or mixed threats.

Emergency protocols for businesses will be established to ensure the rapid availability of essential supplies, goods, and services and to secure critical production lines.