# European Preparedness Union Strategy Canonical URL: https://digital-acquis.eu/initiative/european-preparedness-union-strategy Entry type: initiative Source edition current through: 17 July 2026 (2026-07-17). This is not a page modification date. Status: delivered. A delivered initiative is not necessarily legislation in force. Instrument: Communication Date as recorded: 26 Mar 2025 Date kind: date Status note: full date links only to published artifact types ## Summary The Preparedness Union Strategy would improve EU anticipation, coordination and response across crises through an EU risk and threat assessment, crisis dashboard and an upgraded Emergency Response Coordination Centre. It also proposes stockpiling, minimum preparedness requirements, revised civil-protection arrangements, early-warning guidance and preparedness training. The strategy includes measures for public-private continuity planning, population self-sufficiency during extreme disruptions, EU-wide exercises, civil-military coordination and cooperation with partner countries. ## Sources - [Official source]() ## Action items (29; complete published list) ### 1. Action item 280001 EU Comprehensive Risk and Threat Assessment: The Commission and High Representative will develop a cross-sector, all-hazards EU risk and threat assessment integrating internal and external security insights, real-time early warning data, satellite monitoring, and national assessments; the Single Intelligence Analysis Capacity (SIAC) will be reinforced as the single intelligence entry point to feed the exercise. [from 2025] Provenance: source document doc-029, paragraph 1. Digital dimension: no. ### 2. Action item 280002 EU Crisis Dashboard: A cross-sectoral crisis dashboard will be developed to aggregate sectoral rapid alert systems and provide decision-makers with a unified operational picture, feeding directly into College of Commissioners discussions in a Security College format. [from 2025] Provenance: source document doc-029, paragraph 2. Digital dimension: no. ### 3. Action item 280003 Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) Upgrade: The ERCC will be strengthened to produce regular all-hazard operational-outlook briefings, analyse cascading crisis effects across sectors, and develop crisis scenarios to support proactive rather than reactive emergency management. Provenance: source document doc-029, paragraph 3. Digital dimension: no. ### 4. Action item 280004 EU Training Catalogue and Lessons Learned Platform: The Commission and High Representative will develop a catalogue of preparedness training methods and guidelines for Member States, an EU-wide skills development plan covering security, defence, and crisis management, and a cross-institutional lessons-learned exchange platform to improve future response efforts. Provenance: source document doc-029, paragraph 4. Digital dimension: no. ### 5. Action item 280005 EU Earth Observation Governmental Service (EOGS): A new governmental Earth observation service will be established to provide secure, persistent, and targeted satellite sensing for emergency management and security purposes, building on and reinforcing existing Copernicus capabilities. Provenance: source document doc-029, paragraph 5. Digital dimension: no. ### 6. Action item 280006 Minimum Preparedness Requirements: Building on full transposition of the CER and NIS2 Directives, the Commission will identify additional sectors not covered by existing legislation and put forward recommendations on minimum preparedness requirements with a monitoring mechanism aligned to Disaster Resilience Goals and NATO resilience baseline requirements. Provenance: source document doc-029, paragraph 6. Digital dimension: no. ### 7. Action item 280007 Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) Revision: The Commission will revise the UCPM legislative framework to improve effectiveness and efficiency in high-impact emergencies, strengthening European-level coordination and response capacity for complex cross-sectoral crises. Provenance: source document doc-029, paragraph 7. Digital dimension: no. ### 8. Action item 280008 EU Stockpiling Strategy: The Commission will propose an integrated EU-wide stockpiling strategy combining centralised EU-level reserves with Member States' contributions and public-private partnerships, covering emergency response, medical countermeasures, critical raw materials, energy equipment, shelter, and agri-food products; a parallel strategy on medical countermeasures against CBRN threats will complement the Critical Medicines Act. Provenance: source document doc-029, paragraph 8. Digital dimension: no. ### 9. Action item 280009 European Climate Adaptation Plan: The Commission will present a European Climate Adaptation Plan embedding preparedness-by-design across EU sector policies and investments, strengthening proactive climate, environment and water risk management, and providing common climate reference scenarios for people, businesses and policymakers. Provenance: source document doc-029, paragraph 9. Digital dimension: no. ### 10. Action item 280010 European Water Resilience Strategy: The Commission will propose a strategy setting a path toward water security by ensuring availability of clean water, protecting against water-related risks, and promoting nature-based solutions; a Circular Economy Act will complement it by increasing circular and biobased materials in EU value chains to reduce critical raw material import dependence. Provenance: source document doc-029, paragraph 10. Digital dimension: no. ### 11. Action item 280011 PreparEU Early Warning Guidelines: The Commission will develop communication guidelines for Member States on warning the population before and during crises, building on the PreparEU initiative and integrating the Copernicus Emergency Management Service and the upcoming Galileo Emergency Warning Satellite Service (EWSS) for space-based alert dissemination. Provenance: source document doc-029, paragraph 11. Digital dimension: no. ### 12. Action item 280012 Annual EU Preparedness Day: The Commission will establish an annual EU Preparedness Day to recognise preparedness efforts by authorities and communities and raise public awareness of disaster risks, complemented by communication guidelines, citizens panels, the EUvsDisinfo portal, and toolkits for countering information manipulation. Provenance: source document doc-029, paragraph 12. Digital dimension: no. ### 13. Action item 280013 72-Hour Population Self-Sufficiency Guidelines: As part of the PreparEU initiative, the Commission will propose guidelines for Member States to achieve population self-sufficiency of at least 72 hours during extreme disruptions, covering essential supplies, shelter, and crisis planning, supported by a new EU online platform providing citizens with tailored risk and preparedness information. Provenance: source document doc-029, paragraph 13. Digital dimension: no. ### 14. Action item 280014 Preparedness in School Curricula: The Commission will develop guidelines for integrating preparedness skills — including media literacy, critical thinking, and civic engagement — into school curricula from early childhood onwards, with professional development resources for teachers made available via the European School Education Platform. Provenance: source document doc-029, paragraph 14. Digital dimension: no. ### 15. Action item 280015 Preparedness Priority in EU Youth Programmes: A dedicated preparedness strand will be created within Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps to promote crisis resilience, civic engagement, and democratic participation, using a bottom-up funding approach for educational and youth organisations. Provenance: source document doc-029, paragraph 15. Digital dimension: no. ### 16. Action item 280016 Talent Attraction for Preparedness Sectors: The EU will explore concrete measures to attract top research talent to Europe and use the EU Talent Pool and Talent Partnerships to recruit and develop skilled workers in critical sectors facing preparedness-related shortages, including from partner countries. Provenance: source document doc-029, paragraph 16. Digital dimension: no. ### 17. Action item 280017 Public-Private Preparedness Task Force: The Commission will establish a multi-stakeholder task force drawing on the Industrial Forum, Enterprise Europe Network, and European clusters to facilitate information-sharing on supply chain vulnerabilities, coordinate continuity planning for vital functions, and develop guidance and incentives for private sector minimum preparedness requirements. Provenance: source document doc-029, paragraph 17. Digital dimension: no. ### 18. Action item 280018 Public-Private Emergency Protocols: The Commission and Member States will revise legislative and operational frameworks to enable time-bound emergency flexibility, including in public procurement, to ensure rapid availability of critical materials and services; coordinated engagement frameworks for critical private sector actors will be developed through the Preparedness Task Force. Provenance: source document doc-029, paragraph 18. Digital dimension: no. ### 19. Action item 280019 Public Procurement Framework Revision: The Commission will propose a revision of the public procurement framework to strengthen security of supply along key value chains, drawing on lessons from COVID-19 and past crises, with targeted provisions to accelerate procedures during emergencies. Provenance: source document doc-029, paragraph 19. Digital dimension: no. ### 20. Action item 280020 European Centre of Expertise on Research Security: The Commission will establish a dedicated centre to collect evidence on foreign interference in research and innovation, provide guidance and support to Member States and R&I actors, and implement the Council recommendation on research security. Provenance: source document doc-029, paragraph 20. Digital dimension: no. ### 21. Action item 280021 Civil-Military Preparedness Arrangements: The Commission and High Representative will develop comprehensive civil-military preparedness arrangements clarifying roles and responsibilities of EU institutions and Member States, underpinned by standard operating procedures for coordination, and complemented by the work towards a European Civil Defence Mechanism; operational staff-level cooperation with NATO will be strengthened across crisis contexts. Provenance: source document doc-029, paragraph 21. Digital dimension: no. ### 22. Action item 280022 Dual-Use Infrastructure Standards: The Commission and High Representative, working with Member States, will identify dual-use infrastructure and assets and define design and planning standards that jointly serve civilian resilience and military needs, including compatibility of TEN-T upgrades with NATO military transport requirements and development of EU-NATO aligned technical standards for dual-use products and infrastructure. Provenance: source document doc-029, paragraph 22. Digital dimension: no. ### 23. Action item 280023 Regular EU-Wide Preparedness Exercises: The Commission and High Representative will organise regular cross-sectoral EU-wide preparedness exercises to test decision-making, coordination, and operational responses under the Solidarity and Mutual Assistance clauses, with Member States able to integrate national exercises and with private sector and international partner participation where relevant. Provenance: source document doc-029, paragraph 23. Digital dimension: no. ### 24. Action item 280024 EU Crisis Coordination Hub: A cross-sectoral crisis coordination hub will be established within the ERCC to provide integrated situational awareness, facilitate coordination across lead services, monitor overall crisis responses, and link internal crisis management with the EEAS Crisis Response Centre for coherent internal-external action. Provenance: source document doc-029, paragraph 24. Digital dimension: no. ### 25. Action item 280025 rescEU Capacity Scaling: The Commission will secure and scale up existing rescEU strategic reserves (aerial firefighting, medical, CBRN, shelters, transport, energy), finalise the European field hospital, and jointly assess with Member States the expansion of reserves to cover additional identified gaps such as critical infrastructure repair and telecommunications. Provenance: source document doc-029, paragraph 25. Digital dimension: no. ### 26. Action item 280026 Mutual Resilience with EU Candidate Countries: The EU will associate candidate countries with relevant EU preparedness initiatives and crisis management frameworks through the enlargement process, reinforcing cooperation on preparedness, resilience, security, defence, and countering hybrid, FIMI, and cyber threats. Provenance: source document doc-029, paragraph 26. Digital dimension: no. ### 27. Action item 280027 Preparedness Integration in Bilateral and Multilateral Partnerships: The EU will use Security and Defence Partnerships, CSDP missions and operations, and reinforced crisis communication networks to enhance preparedness and resilience cooperation with key partner countries, stepping up multilateral engagement through the UN in line with EU-UN Joint Priorities for 2025-2027. Provenance: source document doc-029, paragraph 27. Digital dimension: no. ### 28. Action item 280028 EU-NATO Preparedness and Resilience Integration: Preparedness and resilience commitments will be embedded in EU-NATO Structured Dialogues, cross-briefings, and training, with a focus on military mobility, emerging technologies, cyber, space, defence industry, and hybrid and FIMI threats. Provenance: source document doc-029, paragraph 28. Digital dimension: no. ### 29. Action item 280029 Mutual Resilience Through External Economic and Development Policies: The EU will use the Global Gateway, NDICI-Global Europe, IPA III, the forthcoming New Pact for the Mediterranean, Free Trade Agreements, Clean Trade and Investment Partnerships, and Digital Partnerships to diversify supply and value chains in partner countries and reduce EU over-dependencies. Provenance: source document doc-029, paragraph 29. Digital dimension: no. ## Referenced entries - [European Centre of Expertise on Research Security]() — status: forthcoming. EU work is underway to establish a Centre of Expertise on Research Security, investing in the evidence base for policymaking and creating a community of practice. It sits alongside a due-diligence platform in development to help universities choose international partners. The Commission presents these measures as support for open but secure research cooperation, responding to risks including foreign interference, malign influence and misuse. Source document doc-029, action item 280020: > European Centre of Expertise on Research Security: The Commission will establish a dedicated centre to collect evidence on foreign interference in research and innovation, provide guidance and support to Member States and R&I actors, and implement the Council recommendation on research security. - [Circular Economy Act (CEA)]() — status: forthcoming. The Act will create a true Single Market for waste and secondary raw materials, boosting supply and demand for quality recyclates at competitive prices. It will harmonise end-of-waste criteria, simplify and expand extended producer responsibility (including a one-stop producer registry), and revise e-waste rules to recover critical materials, while aligning with the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products framework. Public procurement criteria, incentives for scrap use, and digitalised demolition permits will accelerate circular design and recycling. Strong enforcement—including for e-commerce channels—will ensure compliance. Source document doc-029, action item 280010: > European Water Resilience Strategy: The Commission will propose a strategy setting a path toward water security by ensuring availability of clean water, protecting against water-related risks, and promoting nature-based solutions; a Circular Economy Act will complement it by increasing circular and biobased materials in EU value chains to reduce critical raw material import dependence. ## Current developments Latest updates from Digital Policy Alert and Global Trade Alert. No reviewed developments available; this does not establish that no developments exist. ## Associated policy priorities - [External Strategy, Security & Democratic Resilience]() ## Broader policy context (shared priority; not a direct citation) - [Action Plan on Drone and Counter Drone Security]() — status: delivered. Action Plan on Drone and Counter-Drone Security prioritises a Drone Security Package, coordinated risk assessment and industrial coordination to address drone threats. Proposed actions include registration and direct remote identification for drones above 100g, D-TECT Forum launch in Q2 2026, a Drone Security Toolbox and an EU Trusted Drone Label. The plan also covers resilience testing for critical infrastructure, training, cellular detection, voluntary deployment and procurement, annual exercises, a centre of excellence and cooperation with Ukraine. - [Action Plan on the Cybersecurity of Hospitals and Healthcare Providers]() — status: delivered. Healthcare cybersecurity action is centred on a European Cybersecurity Support Centre, sector-specific guidance, maturity assessment and incident-response support. Planned measures include a rapid-response service in the EU Cybersecurity Reserve, a Health Cybersecurity Advisory Board, a network of health CISOs, cyber exercises and a ransomware recovery subscription service. The plan also covers cyber hygiene, threat intelligence, procurement guidance, training, regulatory mapping and international cooperation. - [Digitalisation of Return Case Management]() — status: forthcoming. The Commission will table a dedicated initiative to digitalise Member States’ return case management, as part of a new common approach on returns. COM(2025) 101 sets a common return system and, in Art. 42(1)(d), makes national digital systems for return/readmission/reintegration a core component; a separate act will specify interoperability, once-only data flows and statistics. The Commission’s Political Guidelines commit to digitalising case management; von der Leyen’s 17 March letter signalled presentation by end-2025. A 2026 consultation under the Work Programme will prepare governance and implementation, aligning with SIS/Eurodac and digital-by-default delivery while ensuring uniform practice across the Union. - [DigitalJustice@2030]() — status: delivered. The Commission's justice digitalisation programme will expand shared tools, data availability and cross-border digital cooperation. It plans a repository of digital justice tools, an IT toolbox, exchanges among Member States and guidance on high-risk AI. Other actions cover legal and judicial-data reuse, common videoconferencing requirements, remote participation in criminal hearings, support for national digitalisation and further development of the European Electronic Access Point. - [EU Action Plan on Cable Security]() — status: delivered. EU Action Plan on Cable Security aims to prevent, detect and respond to risks affecting submarine cables. By Q4 2025, the Commission, Member States and ENISA are to complete cable mapping, a coordinated risk assessment, a Cable Security Toolbox and a priority list of Cable Projects of European Interest. Further measures address investment, integrated surveillance, regional hubs, sensors, surveillance drones, incident reporting, repair vessels and spare parts, alongside crisis response, NATO cooperation, diplomacy, sanctions and attribution. - [European Centre for Democratic Resilience]() — status: not recorded. The Centre will be the operational backbone of the European Democracy Shield, uniting national capabilities to detect, analyse and attribute foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI). It will pool open-source intelligence, media forensics and platform signals, provide rapid alerts and incident-response templates, and coordinate joint attribution with partners. The Centre will convene Member States and neighbouring countries, standardise methodologies, and channel support to independent media and media-literacy initiatives. By closing gaps between monitoring, policy action and sanctions, it will strengthen deterrence, help protect elections and debate, and build a European capacity against hybrid threats. - [European Democracy Shield]() — status: delivered. It will harden democratic resilience by combining early detection of foreign information manipulation, coordinated analysis and rapid response across the Union. A new European Centre for Democratic Resilience will pool national expertise and capacities as the hub for monitoring, attribution and joint action with partners. The Shield will leverage the EU’s FIMI toolbox and the Digital Services Act, expand media- and digital-literacy efforts, and strengthen crisis communication to counter disinformation systematically. It complements a forthcoming Media Resilience Programme supporting independent journalism, and is anchored in upgrades to EU internal-security governance. Work will also address harmful social-media design and youth well-being through expert advice on safeguards and enforcement. - [European Space Shield]() — status: forthcoming. The European Space Shield is a proposed flagship within the Readiness Roadmap for defence readiness. It would establish and protect a European system of space capabilities for defence purposes, building on EU space systems and national capacities. The roadmap envisages endorsement of the shield as a priority flagship, coordinated prioritisation through space and defence programmes, coordination with Member States' procurement plans, and the shield's launch. - [Europol & Eurojust Revision]() — status: in progress. Europol & Eurojust Revision seeks to modernise Eurojust's legal framework and strengthen cross-border criminal-justice cooperation. The proposal addresses structural and operational constraints identified by the 2025 evaluation, improving governance and operational performance, cooperation with EU partners and third countries, and analytical and proactive capacity. It would expand Eurojust's mandate to cybercrime, gender-based violence and violations of EU restrictive measures, while reinforcing coordination with Europol and supporting work on serious and organised cross-border crime. - [Frontex Revision & EU Visa Support Office]() — status: forthcoming. Frontex is slated for a stronger mandate and reinforced standing corps, allowing the European Border and Coast Guard Agency to expand its presence and operational support. The Commission also assigns Frontex a stronger role in supporting Member States with returns and places a visa strategy among measures aimed at attracting international talent and reducing administrative barriers. - [Harmonised EU Framework for Data Retention]() — status: forthcoming. The Commission is preparing an impact assessment on data retention by service providers for criminal proceedings. The work responds to divergent national rules and the absence of an EU-wide framework, which authorities identify as an obstacle to investigations and cross-border cooperation. Consultations will examine the obstacles, possible non-regulatory and regulatory responses, and impacts on citizens' security, electronic-communications services and the protection of fundamental rights. - [International Digital Strategy]() — status: delivered. International Digital Strategy would extend EU digital cooperation through partnerships, dialogues, trade agreements and infrastructure with trusted partners. The programme covers secure connectivity, Digital Public Infrastructure, AI, software, submarine cables, satellite connectivity, quantum research, semiconductors, high-performance computing, cybersecurity and digital identity. Measures include the Digital Partnership Network, additional bilateral and regional partnerships, EU Tech Business Offer, support for Arctic, MEDUSA and Blue-Raman cables, and integration work on the EU Digital Identity Wallet with Ukraine, Moldova and the Western Balkans. - [New Strategic EU-India Agenda]() — status: delivered. Europe have tabled a Strategic EU–India Agenda that elevates the partnership across five pillars: prosperity, technology, security, connectivity and enablers. It prioritises concluding an FTA and an Investment Protection Agreement, alongside Global Gateway investments and supply-chain de-risking via the EU–India TTC (chips, solar, APIs). It deepens digital cooperation (e.g. trusted data flows, secure 5G/6G and interoperable digital public infrastructures) and expands joint R&I in AI, HPC/quantum and space. A Security and Defence Partnership with a Security of Information Agreement will underpin maritime, cyber and hybrid resilience. Delivery will be steered by an annual summit, upgraded TTC, and an EU–India Business Forum. - [ProtectEU: A European Internal Security Strategy]() — status: delivered. ProtectEU sets out EU internal-security action based on regular threat assessments and stronger operational capacity. It covers terrorism, organised crime, cyber-related and hybrid threats, with proposed changes involving Europol, Eurojust and Frontex. The strategy also calls for a European Critical Communication System, better protection of critical infrastructure and transport hubs, stronger cybersecurity, updated organised-crime and firearms rules, and closer operational cooperation with partner regions. - [Roadmap on Lawful and Effective Access to Data]() — status: delivered. The Roadmap for lawful and effective access to data for law enforcement sets out the conditions that should govern access to digital evidence. It says access must be necessary, proportionate, founded on clear, precise and accessible legal rules, subject to independent oversight and accompanied by effective remedies. The roadmap identifies deleted data, jurisdictional conflicts, difficult device forensics, encryption and limited analytical capacity as obstacles to obtaining criminal evidence. - [Strengthening EU Economy Security]() — status: delivered. Strengthening EU Economy Security centres on faster risk assessment, shared intelligence and action to reduce dependencies in critical supply chains, technologies and infrastructure. The Commission proposes an Economic Security Information Hub, stronger coordination with Member States, an adviser group involving businesses, trade-resilience information and an expanded Observatory on Critical Technologies. It will also consider funding safeguards, foreign-investment screening guidance, dual-use export-control evaluation, trade-defence tools, customs measures, procurement preferences and restrictions on high-risk suppliers. - [Team Europe]() — status: delivered. Aligns the EU, Member States, the EIB/EBRD, agencies and the private sector to act as one, pooling finance, expertise and diplomacy for maximum impact. Born during COVID-19, it is now the default delivery model for international partnerships and Global Gateway. It coordinates over 160 Team Europe Initiatives and mobilised €179 billion in 2021–2023, underpinned by instruments such as the €40 billion EFSD+ guarantee and regular Global Gateway business fora, with governance via a Board, Business Advisory Group, and a Civil Society & Local Authorities platform. By joining up investments, reforms and standards, Team Europe scales high-standard projects worldwide and strengthens EU strategic influence. - [The Pact for the Mediterranean]() — status: delivered. The EU will forge a new pact with Southern Neighbourhood partners, building on the 2021 Agenda, with a strong digital pillar to deepen political engagement and cooperation. Priorities include secure connectivity under Global Gateway (most visibly the MEDUSA submarine cable linking the northern and southern shores and boosting regional capacity) alongside resilient cable and satellite links. Cooperation will use Trade & Technology-style dialogues, Cyber Dialogues, and association to Horizon Europe and Digital Europe, embedded in tailor-made Comprehensive and Strategic Partnerships (e.g. Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan). Work will advance trusted 5G/cable security, skills and innovation, and gradual policy harmonisation supporting integration with EU digital rules where relevant. - [White Paper for European Defence]() — status: delivered. The White Paper invites Member States to increase collaborative defence procurement and proposes fast consideration of SAFE and the European Defence Industry Programme. It calls for military support to Ukraine and greater integration of Ukraine's defence industry, mobility corridors and access to EU space-based governmental services. Further measures include a defence-industry dialogue, a Defence Omnibus Simplification proposal, an armament technology roadmap and military-mobility action. --- [Reading guide and interpretation notes]() · [Methodology]()