BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union on Wednesday urged citizens across the continent to stockpile food, water and other essentials to last at least 72 hours as war, cyberattacks, climate change and disease increase the chances of a crisis.
The call to action for the EU’s 450 million citizens comes as the 27-nation bloc rethinks its security, especially after the Trump administration warned that Europe must take more responsibility for it.
In recent years, the EU has weathered COVID-19 and the threat from Russia, including its attempts to exploit Europe’s dependence on its natural gas to weaken support for Ukraine. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has warned that Russia could be capable of launching another attack in Europe by 2030.
“Today’s threats facing Europe are more complex than ever, and they are all interconnected,” said Preparedness and Crisis Management Commissioner Hadja Lahbib as she unveiled a new strategy for dealing with future disasters.
While the commission is keen not to be seen as alarmist, Lahbib said it’s important “to make sure people have essential supplies for at least 72 hours in a crisis.” She listed food, water, flashlights, ID papers, medicine and shortwave radios as things to stock.
Lahbib said the EU should build up a “strategic reserve” and stockpile other critical resources including firefighting planes; medical, energy and transport equipment; and specialized assets against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats,
The EU’s plans are similar to those in France, Finland and Sweden.
Last year, Sweden updated its Cold War-era civil emergency advice “to better reflect today’s security policy reality” such as what to do in case of nuclear attack.
Not all EU countries have the same level of crisis preparedness, and the commission also wants to encourage them to coordinate better in case of emergency.
“We can no longer rely on ad hoc reactions,” Lahbib said.