Michael Coy
BRITAIN may have left the EU, but Spain is still an enthusiastic member, and the European Commission wants European citizens to be prepared for future crises or possible wars.
The European Commission has presented its “preparedness plan”, with a total of 30 measures to be implemented over the coming years, to the media.
The strategy seeks to strengthen the preparedness of essential services in Europe by developing minimum criteria for hospitals, schools, transportation, and telecommunications. Brussels’ goal is for the plan to be fully in force by 2027.
Crucially, the plan encourages public preparedness through practical measures, such as families maintaining essential supplies for at least 72 hours, and launching preparedness in schools. The ‘survival kit’, that we all have to have ready, will not be detailed until 2026, according to the document put out by Brussels.
There will also be a “Preparedness Day” training programme. An EU Crisis Centre will be established to integrate existing structures. Civilian-military cooperation will be strengthened through Europe-wide preparedness exercises involving the armed forces, civil protection, police, security services, medical personnel, and firefighters.
Dual-use investments will also be promoted to ensure that resources can be used in both civilian and military situations. Furthermore, a comprehensive risk and threat assessment will be developed at EU level, enabling anticipation of crises such as natural disasters or hybrid threats.
A ‘hybrid threat’, says Brussels, is a disaster which has natural and military characteristics. Cooperation etween the public and private sectors will be key: protocols will be developed with companies to ensure the rapid availability of essential materials, goods, and services, as well as the security of critical production lines.
Cooperation with strategic partners, such as NATO, will be strengthened in areas such as military mobility, climate security, emerging technologies, cybersecurity, space, and the defence industry.
Three years before World War Two, when it was clear that Hitler was a danger to European peace, the British government started drawing-up “preparedness plans”, which included manufacturing millions of flatpack cardboard coffins.
No-one knew what harm bombers might do, and Whitehall thought wood might be better used in making rifles.
The European Commission says it does not want alarmism, but rather awareness. “This strategy is designed with the aim of ensuring that, when a crisis occurs, everything works as it should and we are ready to act effectively,” explained EU Vice-President Roxana Minzatu.
To achieve this, she said, “a new preparedness mentality is needed, so that everyone knows what to do in any emergency, regardless of its nature.” Times have changed, she explained, and that’s why “Europe must act swiftly, working closely with Member States to increase efficiency, save time, and save lives.”
But Brussels goes further. “Preparedness must be embedded in the fabric of our societies: we all have a role to play: by harnessing the energy of our institutions, businesses, and citizens, we can strengthen resilience and ensure Europe emerges stronger from any crisis,” said European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Hadja Labib, echoing Commission President Ursula von der Leyen: “New realities demand a higher level of preparedness in Europe. Our citizens, Member States, and businesses need the right tools both to prevent crises and to react quickly when disaster strikes.”
Citizens must “change their mindset” in the face of the new era we are experiencing, and in this regard, the Commission states that it will create a digital platform “to provide information on shelters and emergency options to citizens and travellers.”
It advocates a Europe-wide management system “for strategic reserves of medicines, vaccines, essential raw materials, energy, and food”, and reiterates that Russia is now a menace to the Union and could be the driving force behind this type of attack.
Politicians are debating how to finance Von der Leyen’s 10-year plan, which plans to mobilise €800 billion in total. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda believes the EU cannot remain on the message alone. “It is important to use this precious time that Ukraine is buying us to strengthen our military capabilities.
“We must rearm because, otherwise, we will be the victims of Russian aggression,” he argued.
Readers might recall the words of the Chinese curse – “may you live in interesting times”.
