The European Union has opened a major two-day conference in Brussels to mark the first anniversary of its Preparedness Union Strategy. The event brings together government representatives, civil protection experts, military officials, private sector leaders, and partners from across Europe to review the progress made so far and discuss the next steps for strengthening preparedness across the region.
Launched in March 2025, the Preparedness Union Strategy was created in response to a rapidly changing global environment shaped by geopolitical tensions, climate-related emergencies, and growing technological risks. The strategy reflects the EU’s effort to build a more coordinated and comprehensive approach to preparedness by making it a central part of policymaking and crisis management across member states.
The conference is being opened by Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu and Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib, with the participation of Oleksii Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine. Commissioner Lahbib is also scheduled to deliver the closing speech on the second day, underscoring the importance of the event in shaping the next phase of the strategy’s implementation.
During the conference, four thematic breakout sessions will produce concrete recommendations that will be presented during a high-level closing panel involving senior officials from across Europe. These discussions are expected to assess how effectively the strategy has been implemented over the past year and identify priorities for further strengthening the EU’s preparedness framework.
A key focus of the event is the lessons learned from Russia’s war against Ukraine, as well as the growing risks posed by wildfires. These discussions come ahead of the adoption of a Communication on integrated wildfire risk management and are intended to help define the next steps toward building a fully operational Preparedness Union capable of responding to a wide range of future crises.
