The European Commission recommends that each citizen of the associate States gather adequate food, water and medicines for at least 72 hours. This period, the first 3 days since the crisis, is considered crucial for safety and survival.
Secure water, food and medicine for 72 hours. This is an EU call
"The aim is to make people know how to behave erstwhile the alarm sirens start to scream," they send EU sources.
According to the Eurobarometer, as many as 50 percent of the European Union population would be deprived of access to food and water after 3 days. These are alarming statistic that prompted Brussels to take decisive educational and information measures.
Education from an early age
One of the pillars of the strategy is citizens' education in crisis preparedness. The European Commission plans to introduce peculiar lessons in primary and secondary education programmes. The aim of these activities will be to teach children and youth how to respond to threats specified as floods, fires, pandemics or cyber attacks.
Knowledge – according to the policy makers – has a chance not only to save lives during the crisis, but besides to increase the overall resilience of European societies to stress and misinformation.
New double-use investments
Strategy ‘Union Ready“is besides part of a broad infrastructure modernisation plan in EU countries.
One of the assumptions is to make investments with alleged dual usage – specified as roads, railway lines and logistics terminals. This means that, in addition to their civilian character, they are besides to be adapted to military needs, allowing fast displacement of troops or dense equipment in case of emergency.
This solution is of peculiar importance in the context of the war in Ukraine, which has highlighted the request for greater mobility and flexibility in defence activities on the continent. The EU does not hide that NATO and U.S. military logistics are the inspiration for this part of the strategy.
Russia as a major threat
The paper published by the European Commission underlines that fresh crises – specified as the COVID-19 pandemic, utmost weather phenomena, the war in Ukraine or the expanding hybrid attacks – require a fresh approach.
In particular, the Russian threat was identified: cyber attacks, sabotage of critical infrastructure and attempts to destabilise the EU's interior states through misinformation and provocation.
Brussels calls for Community members to besides prepare for the anticipation of disrupting the functioning of key systems specified as energy, connectivity, public transport.
In the hybrid attack scenario, even a slight hold in consequence can have serious social and economical impacts.
National contingency plans under scrutiny
The European Commission's initiative fits into the context of actions taken by individual associate States.
In June 2023 Germany updated its Framework Directive for full Defence.
This paper describes in item the procedures in force in the event of armed conflict in Europe. According to German Home Minister Nancy Faeser, “these plans are essential to better prepare for Russian aggression”.
Other countries, including France and Sweden, have besides begun reviewing their crisis management strategies, taking into account fresh risks, both from climate change and geopolitical ones.
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