European Union Urges Households to Stockpile Food, Water, and Essentials for '72 Hours'

The European Union has urged households across the continent to stockpile at least three days' worth of food, water, and other essential supplies, as wars, cyberattacks, climate change, and diseases increase the likelihood of crises. The request made on Wednesday, April 6, calls for action from 450 million EU citizens as the 27-country bloc reviews its security, especially after the Trump administration in the U.S. warned that Europe must take more responsibility. The EU has faced challenges in recent years, including COVID-19 and the threat from Russia, which has sought to exploit Europe's dependence on its natural gas to undermine support for Ukraine. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned that Russia could launch another attack on Europe by 2030. EU Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič, unveiling a new strategy to address future disasters, stated, 'Today's threats facing Europe are more complex than ever and all interconnected.' While the Commission says this should not be viewed as a warning, Lenarčič emphasized the importance of ensuring that people have essential supplies for at least 72 hours during a crisis. He listed essential items to be stockpiled, including food, water, flashlights, identification documents, medications, and shortwave radios. The EU Commissioner stated that the EU needs to create a 'strategic reserve' and have other critical resources, including firefighting planes, medical equipment, energy, and transportation, as well as specialized assets against chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats. This EU plan is similar to those in France, Finland, and Sweden. Last year, Sweden updated its Cold War-era civil emergency recommendations to 'better reflect the realities of today's security policy,' such as what to do in the event of a nuclear attack. According to the Associated Press, not all EU countries have the same level of preparedness for crises, and the Commission wants to encourage better coordination among them in emergencies.