- “The health area is included in both these legislations, so important work is already taking place. Um, we're also looking at um, other sectors, for instance education or food, um, which are not included in these existing pieces of legislation and where we might develop minimum preparedness requirements, which would mirror what NATO has in terms of baseline resilience requirements. Um, so this is work that we're planning to carry forward in the coming weeks and months. Um, within that context, we're also looking at the question of whether we have sufficient stockpiles, whether we have access to sufficient, um, um, capacities to respond to all sorts of disasters and risks. That includes everything from shelter to food to generators, but also in the medical and the Cbrn area. In close cooperation between Hera and ourselves, we have developed already stockpiles at European level, and there is approximately €1.6 billion has been spent under the previous MFF and next generation EU on medical and Cbrn stockpiles, which are now available in different member states. Um, they are available to all Member states in case of need. If there is a big problem in one of the member states, they can be accessed, they can be made available. But it is very important that we maintain and further develop these stockpiles.”
EU policy on infrastructure for preventing climate-related disasters (floods, droughts, extreme weather etc.)
- “The private sector needs to get involved. The citizens need to take responsibility also. So it's generally a whole of society approach that we're looking for. And the final principle is preparedness by design. Um, preparedness should be part of each and every policy we develop. Um, when we plan big infrastructure works or other types of, of, of projects, or we finance all sorts of, um, of, of projects, we need to make sure that preparedness is included. Um, from the very early onset into these elements, there are seven areas where we think preparedness needs to be developed. I'll just run very quickly through these. Um, first of all, foresight and anticipation, um, were a lot more needs to be done. Um, we are proposing to develop an EU comprehensive risk and threat assessment and also an EU crisis dashboard. That comprehensive assessment will basically give a a 360 degree overview of all of the different risks and threats that we that we face so that we can prepare for all of these. Um, the crisis dashboard will bring together information from all of the different, um, rapid, um, early warning and rapid alert systems so that we have a good overview of the situation at any moment in time. The second area of work is the resilience of vital societal functions, um, where the main focus will be on the implementation of the existing legislation, in particular the critical Entities Resilience Directive and the two directive for the Cyber aspects.”
EU policy on screening foreign investment in strategic sectors and critical infrastructure
- “And it's something we actually care deeply about. How how could the EU possibly take over on any of these things? It would be a complete nonsense. So the role of the EU is here to facilitate, to support, to coordinate, make sure we all develop in the same direction that we sort of, um, that we don't create gaps, um, anywhere, sort of, and that we make sure that we're able to react swiftly together as, as necessary. Um, prevention, um, the importance of prevention cannot be underestimated. I fully agree. Also, within the context of the Civil Protection mechanism, there is an enormous amount of work and funding that goes into prevention of all sorts of climate related risks. Um, not everything can be avoided. Earthquakes cannot be avoided. Volcanic eruptions cannot be avoided. Um, but the impact of floods, for instance, or the impact of forest fires. Um, there's a lot that can be done to mitigate that and to prevent that. And we have to make sure that this remains a top priority. I fully agree with that. Um, but at the same time, um, we have to accept that in today's world, it's not going to be possible to prevent each and every threat and risk. Um, it would be irresponsible, in our view, not to prepare for scenarios that may happen. Um, and that's where we think that, um, preparedness now needs to be a key word and needs to be taken forward at all levels.”
EU vs national competence for civil protection and climate adaptation
- “Um, and it risks accelerating outbreaks of infectious diseases. So it's certainly also a concern for the health community. The second development is this changing security landscape. And I will not go into any sort of detail on that. But, um, with what is happening geopolitically, um, we do think that Europe needs to get prepared for more security related threats, including cyber threats, um, but also Cbrn chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear threats. Um, hybrid threats, hybrid types of warfare, but also conventional warfare. And it is um, to to put it very bluntly, it is time we also reflect on how prepared we are for war if it ever comes to the European Union. And obviously, health infrastructure and the healthcare systems play a key role in that sort of situation. There are very important challenges for the healthcare systems in relation to logistics, the massive evacuation of patients. Mass casualty treatment, etc., etc.. So the bottom line is we need to get prepared. A lot has been done already. Um, a lot of achievements that we should be proud of also has been created. Um, is very effective and functioning very well. We work very closely from DG echo side with with our colleagues. The Union Civil Protection Mechanism provides a framework that's very effective, um, for this sort of work. Um, so a lot has been done already, but more is needed and I'll come to that in a second.”
EU competences on defence
- “Um, we're putting together a lot of different things under the term crisis. I actually fully agree. Um, security threats are very different threats from natural disaster risks. And it's again very different from health security risks. But we think there is a lot of synergy also between all of this and very often, preparing for one type of risk will also help you to be better prepared for other types of risk. If you have good medical evacuation systems and capacities, if you're able to move patients from one place to the other, that might help you in earthquake scenarios, and it might equally help you in volcano eruptions, and it might equally help you in war scenarios. So I think there's also a lot of capacity that can be developed for many different sort of threats and can be very helpful. What is very clear is that we do not touch the division of responsibility between member states and the EU very clearly in many of these area areas, be it civil protection or health. The primary responsibility sits with member states. That's how it should be. And very often within member states, it is further decentralized. It's not the federal level necessarily, or the central level. It's very often at local level that the response to a crisis takes place. So the strategy fully, fully recognizes that.”
EU vs national competence for civil protection and climate adaptation
- “So this is something where we would feel further development is is needed. Cooperation with insurance companies is something to be further developed. There is a beginning of that already. There are contacts. There is some exchange of data. But you're absolutely right. They sit on very important, very valuable data. And and they also have to become a partner in developing this preparedness because, um, there is of course a link between what we expect from citizens and what insurance companies will consider insurable risks. Um, so, um, there will be all sorts of questions that will pop up in this respect that that need to be looked at on the EU preparedness law. I'm not going to say much at this stage. It is something we are exploring. I think it is important that we take a step by step approach and that we see, um, sort of how we can, um, further develop this, um, financing, um, allowing me to just say two things. We need to follow a double track on financing. I think, um, it is very important that we mainstream this across all of the funding instruments, that all of the available funding instruments contribute to preparedness investments. Um, if we finance under the cohesion funds, the construction of a new bridge. We need to make sure that that bridge is constructed in a way that it is fully compatible with military requirements, with civilian preparedness requirements, etc., etc..”
Regulation of vehicles insurance · EU policy on sustainability criteria in public funding
- “We are building through a ground as part of rescue, the largest field hospital in the world, which will consist of three different field hospitals and 19 specialised medical teams, which can all work together or separately individually. So we're building up huge capacity. And we have these stockpiles that we have started setting up over the last few years, which are particularly important for hospital equipment, for Cbrn countermeasures, medical countermeasures for um detection material, etc., etc.. Um, that rescue is is developed by DG echo and for the medical part in close cooperation with Hera. So we work very closely with the colleagues working on this, and we think it is very important to now further to maintain rescue. And there there is really a challenge for the next Multiannual Financial framework because also maintaining this level of preparedness is costly. Um, but it is by now something that many member states are counting upon. So we will need to maintain that, um, and we need to further develop it, for instance, medical evacuation, which is something we now do on a weekly basis. We have medical evacuation operations from Ukraine. There's every week, again, patients coming over from Ukraine to hospitals across Europe. There's also regularly patients from Gaza coming in now. And we really have a shortage of medical evacuation aircraft. There are simply not enough of these aircraft a large type of aircraft in the EU.”
Russia-Ukraine conflict (10th term) · EU Development & Humanitarian Aid
- “At EU level. We think it is very important that citizens develop a 72 hour period of self sufficiency. The emergency services that we have in Europe are extremely professional, but in mass casualty situations or in overwhelming disaster situations, they will have to focus on the infrastructure. They will have to focus on the vulnerable in society. It will take a while before they can help all of us think about blackout scenarios, etc.. So to cover that interim period, um, between the occurrence of a crisis and the response from the emergency services, it is important that our citizens are equipped, that they have the necessary supplies at home, etc., to deal with the risks themselves, um, and to cater for their needs in the best possible way. We also want to include preparedness more in school curricula. Think about first aid training courses. Also, um, it's important that preparedness gets included in youth programs. Um, we think it is very important that the guidelines take into account disabilities, for instance, that there is a need, that there is there's a lot of evidence that in all recent floods, the victims had a disproportionate number of very vulnerable people, elderly or persons with disabilities. Um, and that is not acceptable. Um, so, so we really need to make sure we, we cater for all of these needs. Other areas of work include public private cooperation.”
EU policy on disability inclusion & accessibility
- “Um, we currently very difficult to share that sort of information. Um, we have the system where member states need to not to us, sort of. We will propose to invest in a certain type of medical countermeasures, and then member states will say, yeah, that looks like a good idea, which then means there's perhaps not enough of it at member state level, but it's not ideal. I think this is something we have to develop much further and become much more. We need to develop towards a much more integrated approach to stockpiling, um, over these over these issues. And I fully agree on the importance of, um, responsibilities and being very clear about who is responsible for what. Um, I think between member states and the European Union. That is fairly clear. Um, it is clear sort of, um, that member states are in the lead and we are there to support and facilitate and coordinate. Um, but of course, um, that means that member states are in the driving seat for each and every crisis scenario, and that we very much depend on how member states will play the coordination. Also, um, some member states are very quick in asking for help. Others take a long time before they ask for help. So I think there is some work to be done in that direction. Daphne. Sorry. Please.”
Joint EU procurement of medicines
- “Now, fully agree with that. So the preparedness union strategy is the cross-sectoral, holistic horizontal approach, which basically means that all layers of society need to get prepared. So it applies to hospitals as well as to prisons, as well as to police services or the private sector, etc., etc.. So it's really across the board. Um, and of course, sectoral initiatives like the Action Plan on strengthening cyber Security of, of hospitals fit very nicely into that. Um, I don't think we need to do action plans for all of these sectors, and that's why we thought that a holistic approach was was very useful to complement that. So wherever there is a need for specific sectoral action, by all means that should take place and it should go ahead. Um, but we wanted to bring all of that together in a more holistic approach under the preparedness strategy. Thank you.”
Public and private sectors role in healthcare services