European households will be encouraged to stockpile 72 hours of food to deal with emergencies, according to a plan to prepare for a crisis proposed on Wednesday by the commission.

Earlier this month, Dutch justice minister David van Weel also suggested that every Dutch household should stockpile emergency supplies to last for 72 hours in case of war, cyber-attack or other major disaster.

Brussels’ plan consists in a list of 30 measures in consideration of “increasingly complex crises and challenges that cannot be ignored.” These include “growing geopolitical tensions and conflicts, hybrid and cybersecurity threats, foreign information manipulation and interference,” but also “climate change and increasing natural disasters.”

“In case of extreme disruptions, the initial period is the most critical,” the commission said announcing guidelines for EU countries so that the population can be self-sufficient for “at least 72 hours”.

The guidelines will cover the storage of essential supplies, crisis planning, the availability of shelters and critical ground and space, as well as “measures for protecting people, animals, and property,” according to the document.

The commission also aims to include “preparedness” in school education, provide training to fight “disinformation and information manipulation”, and introduce an “EU preparedness day.”

“Preparedness must be woven into the fabric of our societies — everyone has a role to play. Today’s threats are fast, complex, and interconnected; our response must be more proactive, more integrated, and more coordinated at European level,” said EU commissioner for preparedness and crisis management, Hadja Lahbib.

An analysis last year found that Europe’s readiness to deal with emergencies is reactive and fragmented, and a Eurobarometer survey showed that 65% of Europeans would need more information to prepare for disasters or emergencies.

Warning function

To help in this, the commission plans to introduce a public warning function in the EU digital identity wallets currently being developed and to set up an online platform providing information to EU citizens and tourists on different risks and threats.

Other actions to protect “essential societal functions” include developing preparedness criteria for hospitals, schools, transport and telecommunications, the stockpiling of critical equipment and materials, securing critical natural resources such as “potentially agri-food products and water”, conducting EU-wide preparedness exercises and establishing an EU coordination hub for crisis response.

The commission also wants to “assess the level of preparedness in financial services” to ensure “the continuity of critical functions, payments and the funding of the economy under all circumstances.”