The European Union has announced plans to establish emergency reserves for critical minerals and cable maintenance kits to address the escalating risks of war. According to a report by the Financial Times, the EU has outlined in a draft that with geopolitical tensions rising and factors such as regional conflicts, climate change, hybrid and cyber threats intensifying, the EU is facing an increasingly complex risk environment.
The EU Commission stated that member states should coordinate reserves for food, medicine, and even nuclear fuel. Additionally, the EU will accelerate the development of EU-level material reserves, such as modules for rapid restoration of energy and cable repairs, as well as rare earths and permanent magnets essential for energy and defense systems.
In recent years, there have been multiple incidents potentially damaging underwater communication cables and gas pipelines, raising concerns about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure.
This initiative is one of the strategies widely promoted by the EU to enhance the security and resilience of the 27-country group. Last month, German Defense Minister General Carsten Breuer warned that within the next four years, a EU member state could potentially come under attack from Russia.
The draft document highlights that cyber-attacks, cybercriminals, and malicious activities by state-sponsored groups have increased, heightening environmental risks.
Furthermore, due to the EU’s warming rate being twice the global average, the EU is more susceptible to the impacts of climate change compared to many other regions. This week, wildfires on the Greek island of Crete forced 5,000 people to evacuate.
A report commissioned by the EU last October, authored by former Finnish President Sauli Niinistö, emphasized that security measures should be seen as a “public good” and urged people to maintain a mindset of being prepared.
Regarding reserves, Niinistö suggested that the EU should establish minimum targets to ensure preparedness in various crisis scenarios, including in the event of armed invasion or major disruptions in the global supply chain.
In March of this year, the EU also proposed that households should have reserves of essential supplies to sustain survival for at least 72 hours during a crisis.
As part of emergency response efforts to natural disasters, the EU has deployed firefighting aircraft and helicopter fleets, medical evacuation planes, field hospitals, and essential medical supplies in 22 member states.
Simultaneously, the EU Commission announced plans to establish a reserve network to improve coordination among EU countries. The EU will also develop regularly updated lists of essential items for different regions and crisis types. Member states are encouraged to better involve the private sector in reserves, such as through tax incentives.
The EU should also collaborate with allies to establish “shared warehouses” and improve coordination with NATO to manage resources and dual-use infrastructure more effectively.
Investment requirements for critical reserves will also be considered in a new multi-year budget proposal to be presented later this month.