Workshop to strengthen the whole-of-society resilience in Europe

On 17–18 January, the Swedish Presidency held a workshop aimed at strengthening resilience in Europe within the whole of society. The workshop started off with a speech by Minister for Civil Defence Carl-Oskar Bohlin.

“Sweden is shouldering the Presidency at a time of major global crises. Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine, the impact of climate change and the ongoing pandemic have put Europe’s civilian resilience to the test. It needs to be strengthened at all levels and in all sectors,” says Mr Bohlin.

To strengthen the ability of the EU and its Member States to withstand current and future crises, goals are being set by the European Commission. The work of implementing the goal of increasing risk awareness and preparedness of the population began with a workshop, co-organised by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) and the Ministry of Defence, on 17–18 January.

The workshop provided a platform to discuss matters such as:

Dedicated events at European and national level, such as a European Crisis Preparedness Week/Month, which could bring together different actors to collectively raise the degree of preparedness among the people of Europe.

How the private sector could contribute and be more involved in response and in providing critical goods and services, but also more broadly – how cooperation with the private sector can be enhanced with regard to prevention and preparedness.

How to monitor public awareness and preparedness, including how we measure results of awareness and preparedness campaigns, including discussions on maintaining trust and promoting engagement in civil protection of the population.