The European Union today opens a landmark 2-day conference in Brussels to mark the 1st anniversary of its Preparedness Union Strategy. It brings together government representatives, civil protection experts, military representatives, private sector leaders and partners from across Europe to take stock of progress and chart the path ahead.
Launched in March 2025, the strategy responds to a changing world in which geopolitical shifts, climate events and technological risks increasingly call for a holistic and coordinated European approach; one that places preparedness at the heart of EU policy.
Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu and Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib open proceedings today, alongside Oleksii Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine.
Commissioner Lahbib will also deliver the closing speech tomorrow. 4 thematic breakout sessions will feed concrete recommendations into tomorrow's high-level closing panel, where senior officials from across Europe will review progress of the strategy's implementation.
The event will give a particular focus on the lessons learnt from Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and on wildfires, ahead of the adoption of the Communication on integrated wildfire risk management. It will also set out the next steps toward a fully operational Preparedness Union.
Details
- Publication date
- 23 March 2026
- Author
- Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO)
