European Commission: EU residents advised to rely on themselves for first 72 hours after an emergency

The European Commission has presented new recommendations on civil preparedness for major crises — from natural disasters to cyberattacks and infrastructure disruptions. This was announced by EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib during the European Civil Protection Forum.

The main change is that residents of European Union countries are being advised to plan ahead to be self-sufficient for the first 72 hours after an emergency, while state services mobilize assistance.

To that end, it is recommended that every household have a basic emergency kit: water, long-shelf-life food, necessary medications, a flashlight, a radio, a power bank, cash and copies of important documents.

At the same time, Brussels proposes introducing training in basic emergency response skills from an early age — including in kindergartens and primary schools.

Authorities in EU countries will need to give more thought to how to inform people before, during and after a crisis. Another new proposal is an annual EU Preparedness Day, planned to be held on October 23 starting from 2027.

The aim of the initiative is to encourage citizens and communities to actively prepare for emergencies and to raise awareness of ways to protect themselves and others.

Earlier, the US Department of Defense asked Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to soften their rhetoric about threats from Russia, since such statements undermine Europe’s security. At the same time, Russian President Vladimir Putin has indicated that if a war between Russia and Europe were to begin, it would “immediately and inevitably” escalate into a nuclear one.