COM(2025) 528 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions EU stockpiling strategy: Boosting the EU's material preparedness for crises

EN EN

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Brussels, 9.7.2025

COM(2025) 528 final

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN

PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL

COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

EU stockpiling strategy: Boosting the EU's material preparedness for crises

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INTRODUCTION

For decades, the European Union enjoyed sufficient supply of essential goods. But the

unprecedented scale of recent crises showed that this can no longer be taken for granted. The

COVID-19 pandemic exposed the vulnerabilities in the EU’s supply chains for medical

products, energy, agri-food products and critical raw materials. Russia’s illegal war of

aggression against Ukraine has underscored the strategic importance of reliable access to

affordable energy, critical technologies and infrastructure and has had effects on agricultural

supplies worldwide.

Today, the EU faces an increasingly complex and deteriorating risk landscape marked by rising

geopolitical tensions, including conflict, the mounting impacts of climate change,

environmental degradation, and hybrid and cyber threats, driven by increased activity from

hacktivists, cybercriminals and State-sponsored groups. Moreover, the geopolitical challenges

are often interwoven and impacting on the relations of the EU with different parts of the world,

including when it comes to supply chains. The potential impacts of risks are steadily increasing,

with indirect consequences and effects that cascade over time. This ultimately translates into a

higher overall threat to the security and availability of essential supplies.

Following the recommendations in the Niinistö report, the Preparedness Union Strategy (1)

announced an EU-wide Stockpiling Strategy that will (1) integrate all existing sectorial

stockpiling efforts, (2) strengthen access to critical resources across the EU and (3) combine

centralised EU-level reserves with Member States’ contributions, supported by public-private

partnerships to ensure efficiency, scalability and cost-effectiveness.

This EU Stockpiling Strategy adopts a comprehensive approach to stockpiling and

addresses its entire cycle, from anticipation to monitoring of supply chains, measures to

strengthen supply security, management of stockpiling, and deployment. It applies to essential

goods (2), that are understood for these purposes as any physical object necessary to maintain

vital societal functions (3). The EU Stockpiling Strategy will foster coordinated public and

private reserves of critical inputs and ensure their availability under all circumstances.

The Strategy will be guided by the underlying principles of solidarity, transparency,

accountability and equitable access to resources across the EU, which is key to ensure

equality of all, particularly under severe circumstances. In line with the Union of Equality

framework (4), the implementation of the Strategy will take into account the specific needs of

different groups, including in relation to gender, disability, age and racial or ethnic

background.

(1) JOIN (2025) 130 final – European Preparedness Union Strategy.

(2) For the purpose of this strategy ‘goods’ encompasses primary and secondary materials, commodities, natural

resources, products, equipment, etc. The term is used in a broad sense without prejudice to definitions and

specific terms used in sectoral frameworks.

(3) Vital societal functions are fundamental systems and structures that enable a society to operate, while

safeguarding our societies, economies, cultures, and democratic institutions in any circumstances. These

functions include first and foremost the safety of the EU’s population, including protection from natural

disasters, governmental continuity and decision-making, democratic processes, social cohesion and economic

stability and internal and external security. They form the foundation of a stable and secure society.

(4) The Union of Equality strategies promote equal access to health for all.

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Following the Preparedness Union Strategy, the Stockpiling Strategy reflects a mindset shift

from a reactive, sectoral crisis management approach to a proactive, agile and better-

integrated preparedness approach.

Why we need an EU Stockpiling Strategy

Member States across the EU have been facing similar challenges in recent times. There is

scope for unlocking synergies on collective preparedness at EU level by sharing experience and

working together on how best to secure timely access to essential goods for authorities,

businesses and the public in an inclusive way. Therefore, an EU-wide approach is needed to

complement and support Member States’ efforts.

Stockpiling is an essential component of EU’s crisis preparedness and an integral part of overall

deterrence and readiness for conflict scenarios. Crises and threats may not limit themselves to

one Member State, making an adequate preparation at EU-level only more relevant. As one

Single Market, with highly integrated value and supply chains, disruptions in the availability of

critical materials or technologies require an EU-level capability to respond.

In recent years several relevant EU initiatives, strategies and laws (5) have been adopted to

enhance strategic autonomy, internal and economic security, competitiveness, defence and

resilience and to address supply chain vulnerabilities and dependencies. Among these initiatives

are measures specifically aimed at improving access to essential goods, such as requiring

Member States to hold stocks of oil; demand aggregation and joint purchasing for gas; measures

to boost access to and processing and recycling of critical raw materials; jointly procuring

vaccines against COVID-19; or the building up of the EU rescEU strategic reserve (see Annex

1 for an overview of the relevant EU legal and policy frameworks).

However, the overall approach remains fragmented, and experience has highlighted a number

of significant, closely interrelated shortcomings in the EU framework.

1. Limited common understanding of which essential goods are needed for crisis

preparedness against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving risk landscape. This hampers

cooperation across sectors and borders. By understanding what goods are essential to face

potential crises, governments and businesses alike can make informed and coordinated

decisions on how to best prepare for potential shortages.

2. Limited information sharing and coordination between the EU and Member States,

and between the civilian and military sectors. As a result, there is no proper overview of

stockpiling efforts by Member States across the EU, which in turn results in a suboptimal

use of available resources, capacities and expertise Moreover, administrative, structural and

logistical barriers persisting across the EU may hamper cross-border deployment, transport

and access in crisis scenarios.

3. Under-used potential for cooperation with the private sector across sectors and

borders. The private sector has significant expertise in managing stockpiles, logistics and

(5) Such as Protect EU - the Internal Security Strategy, the Economic Security Strategy, the White Paper on the

Future of European Defence, the EU Competitiveness Compass, the European Water Resilience Strategy, the

Circular Economy Action Plan, the Internal Market Emergency and Resilience Act (IMERA), the Critical

Raw Materials Act, the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), the Oil Stocks Directive (currently under

revision), the EU Gas Storage Regulation, the future Critical Medicines Act, and the Medical Counter

Measures Strategy.

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deployment. Increased structural public-private cooperation on emergency stockpiling can

be fostered, best practices shared, and lessons learnt across sectors and borders.

4. Existing national or sectoral frameworks that do not sufficiently reflect the role

external action and cooperation tools can play in strengthening the national and EU’s

material preparedness, for example on supply chain security. Partnerships with non-EU

countries and international organisations can contribute to enhancing mutual resilience and

to securing essential goods.

For the preparedness of the EU, it is crucial to address this lack of a comprehensive, shared

analysis among all relevant stakeholders, across sectors and borders, and to coordinate

efforts to prepare and respond quickly and effectively. This strategy therefore takes a cross-

sectoral and cross-border perspective, where the EU can provide the most added value.

The overall objective of this strategy is to improve access to essential goods under all

circumstances. It will improve interoperability of stockpiling systems both at national and EU-

level throughout the entire stockpiling cycle – planning, purchasing, managing and deploying

the stocks. The strategy ensures material preparedness, which means the readiness,

availability and accessibility of essential goods as part of an effective response to crises and

conflict. At the same time, it also supports strategic autonomy for the EU, by reducing

dependencies and vulnerabilities and enhancing EU production of essential goods.

Building an EU Stockpiling Strategy

This Strategy builds on existing EU sectoral frameworks and follows the principles of the

Preparedness Union Strategy, set out below.

• An all-hazards approach, which covers the full spectrum of natural and human-induced

risks and threats to material preparedness. It aims to address in a comprehensive manner

increased risks and threats to security of supply, including a conflict scenario, and the

interaction of risks, and their cascading effects.

• A whole-of-government approach, which brings together all relevant stakeholders, across

all levels of government (local, regional, national, and EU), promotes collaboration, policy

coherence and sharing of resources. It includes effective cooperation between the civilian

and defence authorities, and the coherent integration of internal and external dimensions.

• A whole-of-society approach, which fosters an inclusive culture of material preparedness

involving all relevant actors to security of supply, especially the private sector. It means

also helping citizens to become actors of their own resilience, by having resources to ensure

a minimum 72-hours self-sufficiency taking into account their specific needs, as underlined

in the Preparedness Union Strategy.

In line with the findings above, this strategy identifies seven key areas for EU action:

1. improving coordination among Member States and with the EU;

2. foresight, anticipation and strategic planning;

3. filling gaps via EU strategic stockpiling;

4. enhancing a robust and interoperable transport and logistics infrastructure;

5. improving civil-military cooperation;

6. fostering public-private cooperation;

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7. fostering cooperation in external action and international partnerships.

The Strategy focusses on cross-sectoral challenges, while seeking full complementarity with

specific sectoral actions (6). This Strategy will be implemented in close consultation with

Member States and relevant stakeholders, fully respecting subsidiarity, national competences

and the specificities of Member States.

1. IMPROVING COORDINATION AMONG MEMBER STATES AND WITH THE EU

Each Member State is responsible for its own material preparedness. However, in severe, long-

term, complex, and cross-border crises, it is crucial to coordinate national measures to ensure a

steady supply of essential goods and the continuation of vital societal functions. Coordination

not only fosters solidarity but also prevents disruption to the single market. Without

coordination, Member States might compete for goods, production capabilities, storage and

deployment capacities, and may disrupt well-functioning markets, resulting in unnecessary

duplication, costs, and inefficient crisis responses and putting further strain on already fragile

supply chains.

As a first step, mutual trust and understanding need to be strengthened, taking national

security concerns into account. The EU will further develop secure information-sharing

tools (7), to enable Member States, the Commission, relevant EU agencies and stakeholders, to

pool information on supply chains, stockpiling arrangements, and deployment plans. These

tools must be well-protected and comply with EU security requirements. Information-sharing,

including with North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) when relevant, should enhance

interoperability and thus improve joint crisis response efficiency.

Moreover, enhancing synergies and interoperability of stocked goods, arrangements, and

deployment plans throughout the EU will lead to efficiency gains. Coordination should be

improved at several stages of the stockpiling cycle – planning, purchasing, managing, and

deploying stocks. This should also involve better cooperation in identifying critical supply

chain dependencies, aligning diversification plans and cooperation with customs to facilitate

the inflow of essential goods into the EU or ensure the application of possible export

restrictions. Joint and central procurement (8) can effectively optimise resource acquisition and

cooperation for essential goods among Member States and should be further improved.

Cooperation on secure and strategic locations for essential goods throughout the EU,

considering regional needs, will enhance overall resilience and efficiency. Best practices and

lessons can be shared on stock management, real-time tracking, condition monitoring, expiry

alerts, stock rotation, shelf-life, and waste management.

(6) For example, the new Medical Countermeasures Strategy and its EU strategic plan for stockpiling of medical

countermeasures (COM(2025) 529 final).

(7) Existing sectoral information exchange systems include for example, the European Community Urgent

Radiological Information Exchange System (ECURIE) for radiological and nuclear emergencies; the Early

Warning and Response System (EWRS) for biological, chemical and unknown serious cross-border threats to

health (under Regulation 2022/2372); the Common Emergency Communication and Information System

(CECIS) (under Decision 1313/2013/EU on the Union Civil Protection Coordination Mechanism).

(8) Good examples of new initiatives on demand aggregation and joint purchasing include AggregateEU, the

upcoming mechanisms on hydrogen, and the EU Centre for Critical Raw Materials. Joint purchase of medical

countermeasures take place since 2014.

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Good examples of sectoral initiatives, coordinating and strengthening Member States’

stockpiling approaches, include mechanisms for agri-food products, essential agricultural

inputs and medical countermeasures. Reinforcing Member States’ stockpiling can also be

considered for nuclear fuel as part of the implementation of the roadmap to end Russian energy

imports. In the agri-food products sector, the European Food Security Crisis preparedness and

response Mechanism (EFSCM) should be deepened and operationalised to enhance information

exchange, transparency and solidarity in stockpiling (9) among Member States, stakeholders,

and EU institutions, in coordination with instruments under the Common Market Organisation

(CMO). In line with the Clean Industrial Deal, the platform for demand aggregation and joint

purchasing of raw materials is a first step to the set-up of an EU Critical Raw Materials Centre

that should assist in jointly purchasing raw materials, coordinate strategic stockpiles, oversee

supply chain monitoring, and encourage investments. Cross-sectoral learning and coordination

should be ensured.

Following the European Civil Protection Pool model under the Union Civil Protection

Mechanism (UCPM), options should be explored for an information exchange system for

Member States to notify the EU about any essential goods available for voluntary transfer

to another Member State during crises. This could include coordinating transport and

deployment costs through the Commission within the UCPM. Lastly, the establishment of

common criteria for the coordinated release of stockpiles during emergencies are essential.

Key actions:

• The Commission will establish an EU stockpiling network with Member

States. The network will be a forum for discussion and have an advisory role.

Without pre-empting the role of the Council on this matter, this network should

discuss best practices regarding foresight, anticipation, strategic planning and

cost-efficiency assessments and develop dynamic, regularly updated non-

exhaustive lists of essential goods tailored to different crisis scenarios and

regions, taking existing sectoral lists into account (10). The network should

formulate recommendations on issues such as volume requirements, related

oversight systems and coordination of minimum requirements.

• The Commission will - within this new EU stockpiling network - enhance

interoperability of stocks and stockpiling arrangements, promote best

practice exchanges and collaborate with Member States to establish EU-wide

cross-sectoral criteria and procedures for operational elements in the

stockpiling cycle.

• Taking existing sectoral systems into account, the Commission will explore the

feasibility of setting up a platform for secure and detailed data exchanges

between the EU and Member States on emergency stockpiles, building on the

capacities of the Emergency Response Coordination Centre.

• The Commission will further promote centralised and/or joint procurement

mechanisms across sectors, building on models like the medical

(9) In conformity with EU food safety requirements and competition law.

(10) Or build on and complement lists which may be developed under relevant mechanisms such as the Internal

Market Emergency Resilience Act.

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countermeasures’ procurement agreement, or the procurement of crisis-relevant

goods under the Internal Market Emergency Resilience Act (IMERA), rescEU

or the platform for demand aggregation and joint purchasing of raw materials to

optimise resource acquisition. Moreover, it will revise the public procurement

framework as announced in the Preparedness Union Strategy.

2. FORESIGHT, ANTICIPATION AND STRATEGIC PLANNING

Foresight and anticipation, identifying timely threats (and opportunities to stockpile) are crucial

for effective planning of supply and stockpiling requirements for essential goods. Moreover,

strategic planning is needed to determine the most appropriate, time-relevant and cost-efficient

measures to ensure that essential goods are available and ready in a crisis or conflict. EU legal

frameworks remain fragmented in this regard (11) and practices across Member States diverge.

In some areas, such as undersea cables and onshore energy grid security, space, defence, agri-

food products and essential agricultural inputs, healthcare, and chemicals for treating water, the

lack of EU-level arrangements for securing supply and resilience should be addressed.

As part of the Preparedness Union Strategy, the EU will conduct a comprehensive risk and

threat assessment. It will offer deeper insights into crisis and conflict scenarios and enhance

awareness of cross-sector and cross-border risks for vital societal functions. This should support

the exchanges on risk assessments, planning, and gaps identification of essential goods and

supply opportunities with Member States and ultimately facilitate a common understanding

of critical needs. Examples of current good practice in this regard include the Board set up

under the IMERA and the European Food Security Crisis preparedness and response

Mechanism (EFSCM).

Moreover, at EU level, insights from existing risk and threat assessments (12) and supply

chain monitoring systems (13) should be brought together and regularly updated, integrating

(11) Some existing or proposed EU legal frameworks include measures to secure the availability of specific

essential goods like gas and oil, medical countermeasures, critical medicines, raw materials, civil protection

capacities, semiconductors, animal vaccines, and euro banknotes. However, these measures often have limited

scope. The IMERA has a broader focus and can identify crisis-relevant goods if activated under its vigilance

or emergency mode.

(12) Mandatory periodic risk assessments: Critical Entities Resilience Directive (EU) 2022/2557, Drinking Water

Directive (EU) 2020/2184; threat landscape reports: (ENISA) annual cybersecurity threat landscape and two-

yearly state of cybersecurity reports; the assessment of vulnerabilities of the supply chain of critical medicines

in the Commission’s proposal revising the pharmaceutical legislation (COM(2023) 193 final); targeted studies

on supply chain vulnerabilities: Assessment on supply chain vulnerabilities on the first tranche of critical

medicines, HERA 2024; Risks and vulnerabilities in the EU food supply chain, JRC 2023; platforms for

regular assessments and analysis: EU Observatory of Critical Technologies; ad-hoc demand and supply

market studies: EU security market study, 2022; other relevant risk assessments: European Climate Risk

Assessment, European Environmental Agency, 2024; Risk assessments for critical technology areas in the

context of the Economic Security Strategy.

(13) Examples of such monitoring include the SCAN supply chain alert notification system, a quasi-real-time

monitoring tool, used for key raw materials in green technologies and certain semiconductor supply chains;

the EU food supply and security dashboards; summaries on crude oil and/or petroleum products stocks under

the EU’s Oil Stock Directive; monitoring by the Euratom Supply Agency of high-assay low enriched uranium

and medical radioisotopes; the European Shortages Monitoring Platform on the availability and supply of and

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foresight studies on long-term security of supply developments (14). Real-time, automated

monitoring systems, possibly supported by artificial intelligence where appropriate, could

anticipate and track market disruptions more effectively (15). Better coordinating the different

instruments will improve cross-sector and cross-border awareness of risks and of scarcity

of essential goods and prevent duplication of efforts.

This improved coordination includes factoring in the principle of EU solidarity in planning

arrangements – such as support from one Member State to another, or from EU strategic

stockpiles – to avoid or overcome supply shortages or supply chain disruption with high costs

and severe consequences and facilitate the potential movement from stock from one country to

another in the EU.

Member States should discuss the target scope of stocks (based on the risk assessments

described above, to determine focus areas) and appropriate minimum stock levels under

specific circumstances across different sectors, also to avoid overstocking waste. A common

approach to setting volumes of essential goods and needs will lead to comparable levels of

material preparedness across the EU, strengthening overall readiness and resilience, solidarity

and effective cooperation, and avoiding the distortion of the normal functioning and

sustainability of the Internal Market.

As stockpiling is expensive and can create market imbalances, Member States and the EU

should evaluate various ways of ensuring the availability of essential goods in their planning

process and assess the relevant stockpiling methodology. This should include: the potential

impact of a risk on a vital societal function; time-criticality of a response; overlap between tools

and redundancy. Also, market failures, the availability of production and recycling capacities

and EU dependencies on other countries – in a context of growing geopolitical tensions - need

to be considered.

Stockpiling or other material preparedness measures should be designed in a way that

minimises market distortions and avoids adverse effects of normal supply and demand

dynamics. There are a number of ways of making supply chains more agile and more resilient,

such as learning from best practices in Member States and non-EU countries, investing in

research and innovation, boosting self-sufficiency of the EU and its Member States, increasing

the efficiency and circularity of materials at risk and finding alternatives. Establishing

arrangements with the private sector (16) to supply essential goods on short notice in

emergencies should also be considered.

Key actions:

demand for human medicines in certain situations; the EU Customs Surveillance system monitoring the

movement into and out of the EU and protecting against fraud and illicit trade in essential goods.

(14) Supply chain analysis and material demand forecast in strategic technologies and sectors in the EU – A

foresight study, European Commission, 2023.

(15) The proposal for the EU Customs Reform, particularly the EU Customs Data Hub, is relevant, aiming to

enhance risk management by real-time data sharing and analysis across all Member States to ensure better

protection against fraud and illicit trade, and the gathering and analysis of relevant information on essential

goods.

(16) See also chapter 6 Fostering public-private cooperation.

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• The Commission will map sectoral supply chain monitoring mechanisms and

incorporate security of supply risks and supply chain vulnerability assessments

into the envisaged comprehensive EU risk and threat assessment (key action under

the Preparedness Union Strategy). The future EU Crisis Coordination Hub shall

anticipate and monitor risks connected to cross-sectoral crises.

3. FILLING GAPS VIA EU STRATEGIC STOCKPILING

The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that national systems, even when well-coordinated,

can rapidly become unable to provide essential goods. Additional EU-level action was needed,

to cope with a widespread and simultaneous shortage in all Member States, including in the

Outermost Regions. Similar complex crises in which all countries face the same shortages at

the same time, are likely to occur with increasing frequency in the future; hence the need to

further develop strategic stockpiling at EU level. The approach at EU-level has so far been

sectoral and limited.

For example, the UCPM maintains strategic EU level reserves under the rescEU initiative for

rapid emergency deployment, including disaster response and medical countermeasures.

ReliefEU, the European Humanitarian Response Capacity, holds worldwide stockpiles of

humanitarian supplies. In relation to animal health, the Commission keeps emergency antigen

and vaccine banks for transboundary diseases. The European Maritime Safety Agency has

stand-by vessels for oil spill responses. The European Central Bank manages a strategic reserve

of banknotes. Other examples of an EU wide stockpiling approach in the area of energy are the

REPowerEU Roadmap, which sets out a coordinated, secure and gradual phasing out of Russian

gas, oil and nuclear energy imports as well as the stockpiling of key components to ensure swift

recovery from energy transmission and distribution blackouts.

Among these stockpiling mechanisms at EU level, rescEU is one of the largest cross-sectoral

and most versatile. It stands at the core of the EU’s emergency stockpiling arrangements, in a

context where EU-level stockpiling arrangements exist in limited sectors.

Moving forward, the EU should maintain and scale up its EU strategic reserves, building on

the rescEU model (see annex 2 for more details on consolidating the existing rescEU reserve

and possible avenues for the future). The Commission will assess the appropriateness of

expanding the strategic reserves to other types of capacities for which gaps are identified.

This analysis should be brought together with other analyses and gap identifications from

sectors not traditionally linked with civil protection, such as those featuring in the recent

European Water Resilience Strategy and in the EU Action Plan on Cable Security. For example,

cable repair functional modules could be part of the EU stockpiling strategy to ensure prompt

recovery from energy or optical cable disruptions. For certain goods, such as rare earths and

permanent magnets, emergency stockpiles can also be a buffer while disrupted supply chains

adapt to a new reality.

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Enhanced cooperation among public and private sector and more innovative solutions like

virtual stockpiles and vendor-based inventories will also be considered. For example, the

Commission will set up an EU Critical Raw Materials Centre in 2026 to jointly purchase raw

materials on behalf of interested companies and in cooperation with Member States. Supply

chain monitoring and the coordination of strategic stockpiles are flagged as potential additional

tasks (17).

The Commission will also continue to ensure that efficient stockpiling management practices

are followed, specifically suited to the type and nature of the reserve. Efficient stockpiling

management practices are not solely about having advanced technology or systems in place,

but also about having skilled professionals to design and manage the stockpiles, namely in

responding to natural disasters and emergencies. Facilitating training and development of the

workforce on this area is a key component of continuous improvement and efficiency.

Efficient stockpiling management includes practices as well for rotating and replenishing goods

and using donations of items close to their expiry date. It also involves assessing the possibility

of establishing virtual stockpiles and entering into arrangements with private sector operators

for the provision of specific goods, in times of crisis. On this point, the Commission will also

look at returning goods that can be reused after a first deployment, to maximise the added value

of the rescEU assets.

The implementation of this strategy should also take into account the specific stockpiling and

supply challenges of products that can only be stored for a short time, such as medical

radioisotopes and the source materials for their production.

Key actions:

• The Commission will strengthen rescEU as the EU-level reserve of response

capacities. It will expand to cover more capacities, following consultation with

Member States and on the basis of a gaps assessment, which also takes account of

the potential for reducing vulnerability through optimisation of resource use and

possible substitution (see Annex 2).

• The Commission will ensure replenishment of rescEU stocks post-deployment,

pursuing a proactive approach to rescEU capacity development.

• The Commission will work towards consolidating existing tools to channel private

sector in-kind assistance as part of rescEU, both for preparedness and response,

as a complement to the EU strategic stockpiles.

4. ENHANCING A ROBUST AND INTEROPERABLE TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS

INFRASTRUCTURE

Ensuring the availability of essential goods in times of crisis across sectors and borders depends

on robust and interoperable transport, logistics and stockpiling infrastructure. This applies

throughout the entire stockpiling cycle, from managing supply chains to deployment, and

involves all parties – Member States, the Commission, the military and the private sector.

(17) The Clean Industrial Deal: a joint roadmap for competitiveness and decarbonisation, COM(2025)85 final.

Any such joint purchasing will be done in accordance with EU competition rules.

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Disturbances in logistics chains can severely impact crisis response, both nationally and at EU

level.

The EU should enhance cooperation and coordination to create adaptable policies and

regulatory frameworks for cross-border movement in times of crisis and disruption. This

includes simplifying procedures for moving and allocating resources across borders and

providing targeted flexibility in transport regulations (18). This approach should be considered

in the context of the ongoing and upcoming work on military mobility, where facilitating the

seamless EU-wide cross-border transport of military equipment and personnel, notably in times

of crisis and disruptions, is crucial for enhancing the EU's preparedness, responsiveness and

credible deterrence posture.

Moreover, the EU should ensure that its stockpiling infrastructure is resilient, secure and

accessible. Sharing information on needs and, where possible, locations for stockpiles is key

to developing the transport network accordingly. Stockpiling can also help to safeguard the

availability of goods needed to maintain resilient critical transport entities ensure business

continuity and maintain vital transport and logistics functions.

Lastly, interoperable civilian and military transport and logistics systems are essential to

ensure the rapid movement of personnel, equipment, and stocks across the EU during crises and

conflicts. Investment in critical transport infrastructure and assets should leverage their dual-

use potential. Planning of civilian stockpiling locations should be better coordinated with the

ongoing work at EU level on military mobility and notably the upcoming military mobility

package. Any stockpiling risk assessment should identify and avoid bottlenecks at strategic

transport routes and nodes.

Key actions:

• The Commission will facilitate cooperation between the Network of National

Transport Contact Points for improved coordination in the transport sector and

the EU stockpiling network.

• Building on existing processes, the Commission, together with relevant agencies and

other stakeholders, will work to promote crisis preparedness in accordance with

the EU Contingency Plan for Transport (19).

• While giving due consideration to relevant security concerns, the Commission and

the European External Action Service (EEAS), together with Member States, will

strive to better align stockpiling locations with EU military mobility. They will

also promote investment in transport infrastructure and transport assets with dual-

use potential.

(18) For example, during the COVID-19 crisis, the Green Lanes initiative aimed to ensure that border crossings,

including checks and screenings for transport workers, took no longer than 15 minutes. In response to Russia’s

blockade of goods to and from Ukraine through its Black Sea ports, the Commission introduced the Solidarity

Lanes Action Plan, assisting Ukraine in exporting and importing goods using alternative logistics routes via

rail, road and inland waterways. During the aforementioned crises, the Customs Risk Management System

(CRMS2) with the exchange of customs risk related information, enabled faster, more accurate risk

assessments by leveraging automation, and intelligence sharing. This allowed customs authorities to quickly

identify high-risk shipments while expediting the clearance of critical goods.

(19) A contingency plan for transport (COM(2022) 211 final).

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5. IMPROVING CIVIL-MILITARY COOPERATION

In many crisis scenarios, such as extreme weather events, civilian authorities require military

support. Conversely, an all-hazards approach to EU material preparedness involves preparing

for large-scale crises and conflicts, where civil-military cooperation is indispensable.

Effectively countering and managing the consequences of all forms of attacks, including hybrid

threats and armed aggression, depends significantly on civilian capabilities and resources. To

develop and maintain its material readiness, logistical capability and resilience, the military

relies on the functioning of wider societal systems.

For example, the Medical Countermeasures Strategy stresses that the medical countermeasures

needed for civilian use in hospitals or for military use on the front lines are often the same.

Enhancing civil-military cooperation on medical countermeasures strengthens societal and

military readiness for emergencies and boosts production and deployment capacity.

The current Commission proposal for the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP)

contains major proposals on military stockpiling activities, as well as new elements relevant to

civil-military cooperation in material preparedness. It stresses the need for an EU regime

for security of supply for the defence industry, which should enable the EU and Member States

to anticipate and address the consequences of supply crises through various actions, such as

adapting civilian products and creating strategic stockpiles. Once in force, the EDIP would

provide a framework for further strengthening cooperation on military stockpiling, for example

through financial support for Member States’ defence-related stockpiling activities. There is a

clear potential for increasing the interoperability, interchangeability and complementarity

of civilian and defence assets, dual-use goods and/or shared stockpiles, where relevant for

both sectors, including for dual-use infrastructure for space-based communications, navigation

and observation.

At the same time, there is scope for enhanced cooperation and coordination between civilian

and military stakeholders in material preparedness, including like-minded partners,

especially NATO. Relevant areas for increased cooperation and coordination may include

security of supplies and stocks, energy and water security, medical countermeasures and

strategic resource management.

Key actions:

• Together with the EEAS, the Commission will facilitate discussions within the EU

stockpiling network to exchange best practices on civil-military cooperation, in

particular to explore how civilian stockpiles might take into account military

requirements and needs.

• Together with the EEAS, the Commission will expand existing staff cooperation

with NATO, in particular through the Structured Dialogue on Resilience, to address

material preparedness and stockpiling.

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6. FOSTERING PUBLIC-PRIVATE COOPERATION

Every day, businesses acquire, produce, stockpile and distribute essential goods and manage

critical infrastructure. However, they are increasingly exposed to risks and threats that may

impact their supply chains and normal operations. In crisis situations, these disruptions could

constitute severe risks for society. Moreover, the private sector has significant expertise relevant

to material preparedness, as recognised in the European Economic Security Strategy. Business

involvement in all phases of stockpiling - anticipation, management of supply chains,

production capacities, purchasing, management of stockpiles and deployment – is key to boost

efficiency. At EU level, different frameworks facilitating public-private cooperation in this

regard already exist (20), but a more comprehensive cross-sectoral and EU-wide approach,

will help to coordinate and complement these existing initiatives.

The public-private Preparedness Task Force to be set up under the Preparedness Union

Strategy will effectively reach out to relevant businesses representatives to build a more agile

form of preparedness that can address or anticipate supply chain bottlenecks or risks and support

stockpiling and emergency production, when needed. The public-private Preparedness Task

Force should give relevant input into the EU stockpiling network.

Cooperation within the public-private Preparedness Task Force can facilitate a mapping of key

European companies involved in material preparedness, based on clear criteria.

Cooperation should also promote the exchange of best practices to support Member States’

and the companies’ efforts to become more resilient to internal and external shocks to

stockpiling arrangements, in accordance with competition and single market rules and

principles as well as potential future minimum preparedness requirements as envisaged in the

Preparedness Union Strategy.

Furthermore, the EU should facilitate cooperation between the EU, Member States and industry

in developing tools for information-sharing on critical supply chains and stockpiling,

building on existing sectoral frameworks, and in full compliance with EU competition law.

Moreover, an EU model for proactive dialogue between the public and private sectors is

required to ensure business continuity during crises. Developing procedures for providing

essential goods in emergencies, for joint stockpiling operations and crisis partnerships with

logistics companies could be beneficial. Private sector expertise should be used in promoting

the development of innovative management of stockpiles, including virtual stockpiles.

Member States have implemented successful models to incentivise private sector

cooperation in strategic stockpiling to offset additional costs involved in stockpiling, for

example tax incentives and guarantee schemes. These models should be further explored with

the private sector and shared between Member States.

Key actions:

(20) The European Food Security Crisis preparedness and response Mechanism (EFSCM), the NIS2 and Critical

Entities Resilience (CER) Directives (Nos 2022/2555 and Directive (EU) 2022/2557 respectively), the UCPM,

the Critical Raw Materials Act, the Urban Wastewater Directive, the Critical Medicines Act, the European

Water Resilience Strategy and the Medical Countermeasures Strategy. In some areas, mandatory information

requests can be directed to private operators in an emergency (e.g. the Chips Act, EDIP, IMERA, Emergency

Framework Regulation for Medical Countermeasures).

13

• The EU stockpiling network will map and identify best practices, novel

solutions and incentives making it attractive for companies to contribute to

increased resilience and the supply of essential goods. It will link this to reflections

on strategic autonomy.

• A dedicated work strand in the public-private Preparedness Task Force

foreseen under the Preparedness Union Strategy will discuss criteria to be used in

mapping key European companies involved in producing essential goods and

facilitate the sharing of best practices in securing essential goods in crises, covering

supply chain security, resource efficiency and circularity, interoperability,

innovative stockpiling models, stockpiling management, ensuring rotations of

stocks and deploying stockpiles.

7. FOSTERING COOPERATION IN EXTERNAL ACTION AND INTERNATIONAL

PARTNERSHIPS

In today’s interconnected world, ensuring access to essential goods during crises relies on

global supply chains. The security and resilience of the EU and its neighbourhood are closely

interlinked and constitute a factor of stability. By fostering international partnerships,

exchanging good practices and using its external policy tools, the EU can enhance its material

preparedness.

The EU should further strengthen cooperation on material preparedness with neighbouring

countries, building on existing cooperation, such as with UCPM Participating States (21), or

with partner countries in the European Community Urgent Radiological Information Exchange

(ECURIE) for radiological emergencies (22). The upcoming New Pact for the Mediterranean

will offer further opportunities with countries in the Mediterranean basin and the Middle East,

and the recently launched EU Strategy for the Black Sea region (23) will increase Europe’s

preparedness by improving transport, energy and digital links. Financing from instruments such

as the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI -

Global Europe) or the Instrument for Pre-Accession III are essential for creating mutual

resilience. In addition, the EU should specifically draw lessons from Ukraine´s experience in

ensuring supply of essential goods during an armed conflict. Furthermore, the EU should

include Ukraine more systematically in its stockpiling efforts, including in European supply

chains, given Ukraine’s experiences

To mitigate supply chain vulnerabilities and strengthen its strategic autonomy, the EU should

strengthen existing strategic international bilateral agreements and alliances, and, where

appropriate, further develop or forge tailored, mutually beneficial partnerships with non-EU

(21) Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia,

Türkiye, and Ukraine.

(22) Council Decision of 14 December 1987 on Community arrangements for the early exchange of information

in the event of a radiological emergency and the Recommendation 2000/473/ Euratom. All EU Member States

are party as well as Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Switzerland.

(23) JOIN(2025) 135 final – The European Union’s strategic approach to the Black Sea region.

14

countries in sectors such as energy, health, water, defence and raw materials, while

contributing to sustainable development. Mutually beneficial partnerships under the Global

Gateway Strategy should be leveraged when relevant. Moreover, use should be made of tools

such as Free Trade Agreements, Clean Trade and Investment Partnerships, Strategic

partnerships on raw materials, or in the future, strategic partnerships on critical medicines and

Digital Partnerships.

The EU should further increase cooperation with international organisations and in

multilateral fora. For instance, the EU´s participation in the International Energy Agency

(IEA), in particular in the Critical Minerals Security Programme, and the EU partnership with

the Japan Organisation for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) for tracking critical raw

materials are noteworthy, as is the engagement in Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance in the sector of

health, for vaccines stockpiling in the world.

The EU should also use external economic and cooperation policies to support relevant

transport, logistics and digital infrastructure. Open and secure access to global commons

and strategic domains, such as maritime supply routes and undersea cables, is also vital for

security of supply. The MEDUSA submarine cable, supported by the European Commission

and European Investment Bank Global, will provide high-speed connectivity between the

northern and southern shores of the Mediterranean and will be extended to West Africa. In

addition, the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor and the 12 Global Gateway Priority Corridors

in Africa are prime examples of the EU’s focus on establishing alternative and sustainable

transport routes. The proposed India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) will have

the potential to strengthen connectivity across continents.

In developing its stockpiling strategies, the EU should ensure that such measures do not

undermine global food security. In this context, the EU will continue its engagement in

international cooperation frameworks such as the G20 Agricultural Market Information System

(AMIS) initiative that promotes transparency and coordination in global agri-food markets.

Lastly, the EU should increase synergies between EU internal and external stockpiling efforts,

humanitarian aid and international partnerships. Current reflections on strategic supply

chains could lead to significant efficiency gains in view of the current dramatic funding gaps in

the humanitarian sector and could serve as an example for efficiency gains within the EU.

ReliefEU bridges the gap between the urgent needs in crisis-stricken areas and the resources

available from European partners. It contributes to a flexible and responsive system that adapts

to both immediate disasters and ongoing humanitarian challenges, ensuring that resources are

effectively and efficiently delivered where they are most needed.

15

Key actions:

• The European Union and the EU Member States should strengthen collaboration

with neighbourhood countries, like-minded partner countries and

international organisations on crisis preparedness, such as in the area of health

emergencies.

• The Commission will work with the Member States towards the closer coordination

on stockpiles, exploring options for joint procurement and shared warehousing

around the globe, in cooperation and coordination with Regional Disaster Response

authorities to facilitate swift and optimal dispatch of humanitarian relief items.

• The Commission will improve synergies between EU internal and external

stockpiling efforts.

8. CONCLUSION AND NEXT STEPS

Strengthening material preparedness and EU strategic stockpiles is a crucial component to

enhance preparedness in European societies under increasing crisis risks and threats. The EU's

Stockpiling Strategy provides an initial step towards a comprehensive and coordinated

approach, supporting Member States with joint EU-level actions when needed.

Material preparedness requires investments. These costs are outweighed by gains in resilience,

reduced disruptions, lower recovery expenditure, increased long-term competitiveness and

likely lower costs in terms of lives and livelihoods. The principle of preparedness and security

by design, a key action of the Preparedness Union Strategy, will play a significant role in

ensuring sustainable, long-term financial support for enhanced material preparedness and

maintenance of strategic reserves. The Commission will consider the importance of EU’s

material preparedness and maintenance of EU strategic stockpiles in the proposals for the next

multiannual financial framework.

Going forward, the Commission will engage with Member States, the EEAS, the European

Parliament and stakeholders to discuss and implement the initial actions set out in this strategy.

The EU stockpiling network and Preparedness Task Force workstreams will make it possible

to deepen the analysis of gaps and needs, guide the implementation of measures and identify

further needs for action. In parallel, the EU Stockpiling Strategy will complement sectoral

preparedness initiatives. In 2026, the Commission will take stock of the implementation of this

strategy.

Continuous learning, sharing of good practices and innovation will drive a robust, EU-wide

material preparedness and stockpiling policy.

By strengthening its material preparedness, the EU can ensure the availability and accessibility

of essential goods, thereby safeguarding the uninterrupted functioning of supply chains and

vital societal functions and enhancing the well-being and security of European citizens.

EN EN

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Brussels, 9.7.2025

COM(2025) 528 final

ANNEX 1

ANNEX

to the

Communication from the Commision to the European Parliament, the Council, the

European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions

EU stockpiling strategy: Boosting the EU's material preparedness for crises

1

ANNEX 1: EU legal and policy frameworks relevant to material preparedness included

in the mapping

Agriculture and

fisheries

Regulation (EU) 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17

December 2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural

products (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 671–854)

Regulation (EU) 1379/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11

December 2013 on the common organisation of the markets in fishery and

aquaculture products (OJ L 354, 28.12.2013, p. 1–21)

COM (2021) 689 final - Communication from the Commission to the European

Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the

Committee of the Regions: Contingency plan for ensuring food supply and food

security in times of crises (2021)

Animal health Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9

March 2016 on transmissible animal diseases and amending and repealing certain

acts in the area of animal health (‘Animal Health Law’) (OJ L 84, 31.3.2016, p. 1–

208)

Regulation (EU) 2019/6 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11

December 2018 on veterinary medicinal products (OJ L 004 7.1.2019, p. 43-167)

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/139 of 16 November 2021

supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the

Council as regards the management, storage and replacement of stocks of the

Union antigen, vaccine and diagnostic reagent banks and the biosecurity, biosafety

and bio-containment requirements for the operation of those banks (OJ L 23,

2.2.2022, p. 1-10)

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/140 of 16 November 2021

laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the

European Parliament and of the Council with regard to the Union antigen, vaccine

and diagnostic reagent banks

Critical entities

and Network and

Information

systems

Directive (EU) 2022/2555 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14

December 2022 on measures for a high common level of cybersecurity across the

Union (NIS 2 Directive) (OJ L 333, 27.12.2022, p. 80–152)

Directive (EU) 2022/2557 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14

December 2022 on the resilience of critical entities (OJ L 333, 27.12.2022, p. 164–

198)

Customs Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9

October 2013 laying down the Union Customs Code (recast) (OJ L 269,

10.10.2013, p. 1–101)

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2446 of 28 July 2015

supplementing Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of

the Council as regards detailed rules concerning certain provisions of the Union

Customs Code (OJ L 343, 29.12.2015, p. 1–557)

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/2447 of 24 November 2015

laying down detailed rules for implementing certain provisions of Regulation (EU)

No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down the

Union Customs Code (OJ L 343, 29.12.2015, p. 558–893)

Defence and

space

JOIN/2017/41 final – Joint Communication to the European Parliament and the

Council – Improving Military Mobility in the European Union

JOIN/2023/9 final – Joint Communication to the European Parliament and the

Council: European Union Space Strategy for Security and Defence

2

Regulation (EU) 2023/1525 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20

July 2023 on supporting ammunition production (ASAP) (OJ L 185, 24.7.2023)

COM/2024/150 final - Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and

of the Council establishing the European Defence Industry Programme and a

framework of measures to ensure the timely availability and supply of defence

products (‘EDIP’)

JOIN/2025/120 final – Joint White Paper for European Defence Readiness 2030

(2025)

Digital

technologies

Regulation (EU) 2021/1153 of the European Parliament and of the Council

establishing the Connecting Europe Facility (2021)

Regulation (EU) 2023/1781 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13

September 2023 establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s

semiconductor ecosystem (Chips Act) (OJ L 229, 18.9.2023, p. 1–53)

JOIN (2025) 9 final – Joint Communication to the European Parliament and the

Council: EU Action Plan on Cable Security (2025)

Energy Council Directive 2009/119/EC of 14 September 2009 imposing an obligation on

Member States to maintain minimum stocks of crude oil and/or petroleum

products (OJ L 265, 9.10.2009, p. 9–23)

Regulation (EU) 2022/1032 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29

June 2022 amending Regulations (EU) 2017/1938 and (EC) No 715/2009 with

regard to gas storage (OJ L 173, 30.6.2022)

COM/2025/99 final - Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of

the Council, Amending Regulation (EU)2017/1938 as regards the role of gas

storage for securing gas supplies ahead of the winter season

Economic and

financial affairs

Eurosystem Strategic Stock/ ECB-owned contingency stock of euro banknotes

(governed by non-public ECB legal act)

Environment and

climate

Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23

October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water

policy

Directive 2007/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23

October 2007 on the assessment and management of flood risks

Directive 2012/19/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2012

on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)

Directive (EU) 2020/2184 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16

December 2020 on the quality of water intended for human consumption (recast)

(OJ L 435, 23.12.2020, p. 1–62)

COM/2020/98 final – Communication from the Commission to the European

Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the

Committee of the Regions: A new Circular Economy Action Plan for a cleaner

and more competitive Europe

Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30

June 2021 establishing the framework for achieving climate neutrality (OJ L 243,

9.7.2021, p. 1–17)

COM/2021/82 final – Communication from the Commission to the European

Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the

Committee of the Region: Forging a climate-resilient Europe – the new EU

Strategy on Adaption to Climate Change

Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 July

3

2023 concerning batteries and waste batteries, amending Directive 2008/98/EC

and Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 and repealing Directive 2006/66/EC

Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13

June 2024 establishing a framework for the setting of ecodesign requirements for

sustainable products (OJ L, 2024/1781, 28.6.2024)

Directive (EU) 2024/3019 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27

November 2024 concerning urban wastewater treatment (recast) (OJ L 3019

12.12.2024, p. 1)

COM/2024/91 final – Communication from the Commission to the European

Parliament, the Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee

of the Regions: Managing climate risks – protecting people and prosperity

COM/2025/280 final - Communication from the Commission to the European

Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the

Committee of the Regions: European Water Resilience Strategy

Food safety Regulation (EC) 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28

January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law,

establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in

matters of food safety (OJ L 31, 1.2.2002, p. 1–24)

Regulation (EC) 852/2004 of the European parliament and of the Council of 29

April 2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs (OJ L 139, 30.4.2004, p. 1–54)

Regulation (EC) 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29

April 2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin (OJ L

139, 30.4.2004, p. 55–205)

Human health

and medical

countermeasures

Directive 2001/83/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6

November 2001 on the Community code relating to medicinal products for human

use (OJ L 311, 28.11.2001, p. 67–128)

Regulation (EC) No 726/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of

31 March 2004 laying down Union procedures for the authorisation and

supervision of medicinal products for human use and establishing a European

Medicines Agency (OJ L 136 30.4.2004, p. 1-33)

Regulation (EU) 2017/745 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5

April 2017 on medical devices, amending Directive 2001/83/EC, Regulation (EC)

No 178/2002 and Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 and repealing Council Directives

90/385/EEC and 93/42/EEC (OOJ L 117 5.5.2017, p. 1-175)

Regulation (EU) 2017/746 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5

April 2017 on in vitro diagnostic medical devices and repealing Directive

98/79/EC and Commission Decision 2010/227/EU (OJ L 117, 5.5.2017, p. 176–

332)

C/2021/6712 - Commission Decision of 16 September 2021 establishing the

Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority 2021/C 393 I/02 (OJ C

393I, 29.9.2021, p. 3–8)

Regulation (EU) 2022/123 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25

January 2022 on a reinforced role for the European Medicines Agency in crisis

preparedness and management for medicinal products and medical devices (OJ L

20, 31.1.2022, p. 1–37)

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/140 of 16 November 2021

laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the

European Parliament and of the Council with regard to the Union antigen, vaccine

and diagnostic reagent banks

4

Regulation (EU) 2022/2371 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23

November 2022 on serious cross-border threats to health (OJ L 314, 6.12.2022, p.

26–63)

Council Regulation (EU) 2022/2372 of 24 October 2022 on a framework of

measures for ensuring the supply of crisis-relevant medical countermeasures in the

event of a public health emergency at Union level (OJ L 314, 6.12.2022, p. 64–78)

COM/2023/190 final – Communication from the Commission to the European

Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the

Committee of the Regions Reform of the pharmaceutical legislation and measures

addressing antimicrobial resistance

2023/C 220/01 Council Recommendation on stepping up EU actions to combat

antimicrobial resistance in a One Health approach (OJ C 220, 22.6.2023, p. 1–20)

COM/2023/192 final - Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and the

Council on the Union code relating to medicinal products for human use

COM/2023/193 final - Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and

of the Council laying down Union procedures for the authorisation and

supervision of medicinal products for human use and establishing rules governing

the European Medicines Agency

COM/2025/102 final - Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of

the Council laying a framework for strengthening the availability and security of

supply of critical medicinal products as well as the availability of, and

accessibility of, medicinal products of common interest

Humanitarian

Assistance and

Civil Protection

Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/96 of 20 June 1996 concerning humanitarian

aid (OJ L 163, 2.7.1996, p. 1–6)

Regulation (EC) No 1406/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of

27 June 2002 establishing a European Maritime Safety Agency (OJ L 208

5.8.2002, p. 1)

2008/C 25/ 01 - Joint Statement by the Council and the Representatives of the

Governments of the Member States meeting within the Council, the European

Parliament and the European Commission - The European Consensus on

Humanitarian Aid (OJ C 25, 30.1.2008, p. 1–12)

Decision No 1313/2013/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17

December 2013 on a Union Civil Protection Mechanism (consolidated)

Council Regulation (EU) 2016/369 of 15 March 2016 on the provision of

emergency support within the Union (OJ L 70, 16.3.2016, p. 1–6)

Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/570 of 8 April 2019 laying down

rules for the implementation of Decision No 1313/2013/EU of the European

Parliament and of the Council as regards rescEU capacities and amending

Commission Implementing Decision 2014/762/EU (consolidated)

COM/2021/110 final - Communication from the Commission to the European

Parliament and the Council on the EU’s humanitarian action: new challenges,

same principles

Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/704 of 10 April 2025 laying down

rules for the implementation of Decision No 1313/2013/EU of the European

Parliament and of the Council on a Union Civil Protection Mechanism and

repealing Commission Implementing Decisions 2014/762/EU and (EU) 2019/1310

(OJ L, 2025/704, 15.4.2025)

Internal Market JOIN/2023/20 final – Joint Communication to the European Parliament, the

5

European Council and the Council on the “European Economic Security Strategy”

Regulation (EU) 2024/1252 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11

April 2024 establishing a framework for ensuring a secure and sustainable supply

of critical raw materials (OJ L, 2024/1252, 3.5.2024)

Regulation (EU) 2024/2747 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9

October 2024 establishing a framework of measures related to an internal market

emergency and to the resilience of the internal market (Internal Market Emergency

and Resilience Act) (OJ L, 2024/2747, 8.11.2024)

COM/2025/30 final – Communication from the Commission to the European

Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Economic and

Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions – A Competitiveness

Compass for the EU

Medical

Countermeasures

C/2021/6712 - Commission Decision of 16 September 2021 establishing the

Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority 2021/C 393 I/02 (OJ C

393I, 29.9.2021, p. 3–8)

COM/2021/576 final - Communication from the Commission to the European

Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Economic and

Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: Introducing HERA, the

European Health Emergency preparedness and Response Authority, the next step

towards completing the European Health Union

Council Regulation (EU) 2022/2372 of 24 October 2022 on a framework of

measures for ensuring the supply of crisis-relevant medical countermeasures in the

event of a public health emergency at Union level (OJ L 314, 6.12.2022, p. 64–78)

Trade Regulation (EU) 2019/452 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19

March 2019 establishing a framework for the screening of foreign direct

investments into the Union (OJ L 79I, 21.3.2019, p. 1–14)

Transport Regulation (EU) 2016/1625 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14

September 2016 amending Regulation (EC) No 1406/2002 establishing a

European Maritime Safety Agency (OJ L 251, 16.9.2016, p. 77–79)

2020/CI/96 I/01 – Communication from the Commission on the implementation of

the Green Lanes under the Guidelines for border management measures to protect

health and ensure the availability of goods and essential services

COM/2020/685 final - Communication from the Commission to the European

Parliament, the European Council and the Council upgrading the transport Green

Lanes to keep the economy going during COVID-19 pandemic resurgence

COM/2022/211 final – Communication from the Commission to the European

Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the

Committee of the Regions – a contingency plan for transport

COM/2022/217 final – Communication from the Commission to the European

Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the

Committee of the Regions - An action plan for EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes to

facilitate Ukraine's agricultural export and bilateral trade with the EU

Regulation (EU) 2024/1679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13

June 2024 on Union guidelines for the development of the trans-European

transport network (OJ L, 2024/1679, 28.6.2024)

EN EN

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Brussels, 9.7.2025

COM(2025) 528 final

ANNEX 2

ANNEX

to the

Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the

European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions

EU stockpiling strategy: Boosting the EU's material preparedness for crises

1

ANNEX 2 – The future of the rescEU stockpiles

The current risk landscape and operational experiences have highlighted the need to further

develop and strengthen the rescEU reserve, in line with the key action set out by the

Preparedness Union Strategy. The aim of this underpinning should be to complement national

capacities and be pursued in full alignment with other Union Civil Protection Mechanism

(UCPM) initiatives such as the European Civil Protection Pool (ECPP), to optimise synergies

and operational gains.

The first rescEU capacities were set up to respond to the increasing and very specific risk of

wildfires. Additional types of capacities followed, in response to the changing risk landscape.

In line with the Preparedness Union Strategy, it is important to adopt a proactive

preparedness mindset, which would allow rescEU to meet current and future challenges.

Operational experience has highlighted the effectiveness of versatile multi-purpose capacities

in delivering support in a wide variety of scenarios, as reflected in the recently adopted

capacity progress report on the response capacities of the UCPM (1). Specifically, it has

proved economically efficient to retrieve high-value loaned assets to serve other emergencies

and enhance the overall sustainability of the reserve. Any future capacity building needs to be

coupled with timely replenishment of stockpiles, making it possible to restore readiness and

increase the reliability of the rescEU capacities over a longer timeframe.

To continue building solid and sustainable strategic reserves at EU level, the Commission

proposes to further consolidate existing reserves, to ensure continuity and optimise the return

on investment. Potential additional types of capacities, for which the EU added value would

be optimised, could be identified and possibly quantified, together with the Member States.

Existing rescEU capacities

In view of the work undertaken with the Member States through the scenario-building

initiative and the risks posed by climate change and security-related threats, there is a need to

continue developing certain types of rescEU assets, to increase the overall level of

preparedness at EU level and ensure a return on past investments in recent years.

On that basis, the Commission proposes to step up the efforts in the following areas:

• Fire fighting assets: The risk of wildfires has increased across Europe. Further

firefighting assets are therefore necessary to boost preparedness across the UCPM.

These include possible future European projects and initiatives reinforcing EU

strategic autonomy on key civilian response assets. As a result of the sharp increase in

prices, it has proved impossible to secure all those capacities included in the relevant

strategy, adopted in 2019 by the Civil Protection Committee, established by the

UCPM. The EU must, as a bare minimum, especially for countries historically prone

to wildfires, maintain the current level of ambition in relation to medium amphibious

planes and helicopters. Further capacities, not foreseen under the 2019 Strategy – in

1 Capacity Progress Report on the Response Capacities of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (COM(2025)

286 final and SWD(2025)).

2

the form of additional helicopters and/ or light planes - will be needed to better equip

some areas newly threatened by wildfires.

• Medical stockpiles and stockpiles for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear

(CBRN) emergencies: One lesson learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic was the

importance of developing and sustaining comprehensive medical stockpiles. While

medical devices can be used in a different range of scenarios and emergencies, the

stockpiles are also targeted to existing and possible future health-related threats, such

as zoonotic diseases, burns and infectious diseases. Building stocks of further

vaccines, countermeasures, and devices, as well as food items, should be further

considered. To enhance the management and sustainability of these strategic reserves,

innovative and alternative stock models such as virtual stockpiling (including vendor-

based inventories) should be explored.

• Specialised medical and CBRN expertise: The changing threat landscape calls for

more intensive efforts to develop highly specialised teams in the medical and/or

CBRN areas, to address very specific scenarios. CBRN detection and

decontamination teams will remain crucial assets in relevant emergencies, similar to

emergency medical teams (EMTs) and their relevant modular specialised care cells.

EMTs would support national healthcare systems in case of a collapse of hospital

infrastructures in one or more Member States. The development of the EMTs and

specialised care cells should also include a strategy for the timely replenishment of

relevant material after deployment, to enable an effective response in multiple large-

scale emergency scenarios in the future.

• Medical evacuation: Recent crises and emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic,

the earthquake in Türkiye and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, have

shown the need to improve medical evacuation capacities under the UCPM, possibly

in conjunction with specialised medical care on the ground to provide comprehensive

medical treatment. More assets need to be available for a range of scenarios in the

future involving patients who may be highly infectious, CBRN contaminated,

requiring intensive care or lightly injured, for example. There is also a need to

strengthen capacity in situations where mass evacuations are needed. Alongside fully

fledged capacities, specific medical evacuation (Medevac) modules could be

considered, enabling commercial planes to be rapidly converted to be used in

scenarios requiring additional Medevac capacity, such as volcanic eruptions,

earthquakes, tsunamis and armed conflict.

• Shelter: Requests for shelter items have exponentially increased in recent years as the

consequence of earthquakes, mass displacements and/or extreme weather events.

Therefore, different types of emergency shelter are necessary, which must take

account of local specificities and of the needs of vulnerable groups, i.e. those most

exposed in disaster scenarios. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the earthquake in

Türkiye and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine it was reasonable to plan

shelter reserves for a few thousand people, but needs have increased. The high

deployment rate of existing reserves and the limited number of remaining deployable

assets point to the need to scale up this type of capacity and formulate a

comprehensive EU approach to shelter during emergencies.

3

• Transport and logistics: Multi-purpose assets are key enablers in all sorts of

emergency operations. They can be adapted to meet specific needs – for cargo

transport, transport of people, transport of cultural heritage artefacts, or for medical

evacuation. Equipping the UCPM with this type of asset would increase collective

preparedness and enable it to deal with different types of emergencies, including those

that might occur simultaneously.

• Energy: Since it was set up in 2022, the rescEU reserve of generators has provided a

lifeline to Ukraine during Russia’s war of aggression. In recent months, other

emergencies such as the Storm Éowyn in Ireland have also demonstrated the

usefulness of such a strategic stockpile, in different scenarios. Given its pertinence, it

is crucial to maintain a sufficient EU stockpile of energy supply items. These will be

useful in future emergencies and should make it possible to meet the initial target of

being able to deal with three events at the same time.

To increase efficiency and optimise resources, special attention will be given to ensuring that

the reserves are sustainably managed so that value added by rescEU is maximised. rescEU

reserves should also be inclusive and take into account the specific needs of possible

beneficiaries and vulnerable groups. Also, rescEU relies on skilled technical experts, such as

medical teams, to effectively respond to natural disasters and emergencies. Innovative

solutions, such as increased circularity and enhancing the already established cooperation

with the private sector around private donations and virtual stockpiling will also be

considered as ways to supporting the development and sustainability of the EU strategic

reserves.

Additional types of rescEU capacities

In recent years, the Commission and the Member States have worked together on 10 cross-

sectoral EU-wide disaster scenarios, within the scenario-building initiative. Through this

work, they have identified capacity needs at EU level that may warrant the development of

new rescEU capacities. In addition, operational lessons learnt from previous UCPM

emergencies also point to the need to add further to existing ECPP capacities and reinforce

the rescEU reserve with additional assets. More recently, additional capacity gaps were

described in a capacity progress report under the UCPM.

To address the gaps identified, either in the capacity progress report or as operational lessons

learnt from past emergencies, the following additional cross-sectoral assets might be

considered:

• mobile/pontoon bridges, which can also be used in conflict situations

• oversized and overweight load transport equipment

• water purification/wastewater treatment

• mobile cooling and hydration

• high-capacity pumping modules

• cable repair vessels, and functional modules in line with the recent EU Action Plan on

Cable Security.

• communications capacities (e.g. broadband and secure telecommunications, satellite

systems)

• capacities to deal with hybrid threats

4

• innovative capacities, such as drones and/or remotely piloted aircraft; and

• demining capacities

Such new capacities could further reinforce the EU’s overall level of preparedness to face

new types of emergencies related to climate change and the shifting security landscape.

Any future capacity-building under rescEU will be underpinned by needs identification with

Member States, consultation of relevant stakeholders and mapping of existing capacities at

national level, as well as market analysis, including when it comes to dual-use goods. This

will avoid redundancies, increase efficiency, foster economies of scale, and possibly address

market bottlenecks.

This continuous exchange and structured process will enable the Commission to identify new

rescEU assets tailored to the needs of the civil protection community and other relevant

constituencies, and capable of effectively supporting the EU’s response to future emergencies

and crises.

The legal framework provides for different tools, whose potential can be combined, to

enhance a quick set-up while adapting to the relevant emergency at stake.

While the call for proposals and ensuing grants have been the default option for developing

new assets, the Commission also has the option of joint procurement on behalf of Member

States. This could be used where a quick coordinated process is conducive to economies of

scale thanks to combined purchase power.

Where a simplified process is needed for reasons of urgency, the Commission could make

use of direct procurement, to quickly obtain items while streamlining the process and

reducing the administrative burden on Member States. In those situations, physical

stockpiling will be preferred for reasons of immediate availability and deployability, and

particularly because it provides tangible control. However, virtual stockpiling could also be

explored to reduce storage costs and increase flexibility and sustainability. Special attention

will be given to the assessment of the overall market situation and operational requirements

for specific items, for which a deployment might be time sensitive.

As regards deployment, the UCPM transport arrangements, including the option of covering

up to 100% of costs through rescEU, will facilitate the rapid mobilisation of any necessary

assistance. To further support Member States in managing the cross-sectoral consequences of

crises, specific types of capacities established by EU agencies (e.g. European Maritime

Safety Agency vessels) could potentially be deployed under the UCPM through the

Emergency Response Coordination Centre. This will help to enhance synergies and increase

the overall effectiveness of the EU's response to all-hazards’ emergency situations.

    Resolutsiooni liik: Riigikantselei resolutsioon Viide: Majandus- ja Kommunikatsiooniministeerium /  / ; Riigikantselei /  / 4-2/25-01450

Resolutsiooni teema: EL varude strateegia teatis

Adressaat: Majandus- ja Kommunikatsiooniministeerium Ülesanne: Palun esitada seisukohad järgneva algatuse kohta, kaasates seejuures olulisi huvigruppe ja osapooli:

- Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions EU stockpiling strategy: Boosting the EU's material preparedness for crises, COM(2025) 528.

EISi toimiku nr: 25-0426

Tähtaeg: 22.08.2025

Adressaat: Kaitseministeerium, Kliimaministeerium, Regionaal- ja Põllumajandusministeerium, Riigikantselei, Siseministeerium, Sotsiaalministeerium Ülesanne: Palun esitada oma sisend Majandus- ja Kommunikatsiooniministeeriumile seisukohtade kujundamiseks antud eelnõu kohta (eelnõude infosüsteemi (EIS) kaudu).

Tähtaeg: 15.08.2025

Lisainfo: Eelnõu on kavas arutada 27.08.2025 EL koordinatsioonikogu istungil. Esialgsed materjalid EL koordinatsioonikoguks palume esitada hiljemalt 22.08.2025.

Kinnitaja: Nele Grünberg, Euroopa Liidu asjade direktori asetäitja Kinnitamise kuupäev: 31.07.2025 Resolutsiooni koostaja: Elen Nurme [email protected], 693 5201  

.

31.07.2025

EL varude strateegia teatis, COM(2025) 528

Otsuse ettepanek koordinatsioonikogule

Kujundada seisukoht

Kaasvastutajate sisendi tähtpäev 15.08.2025

KOKi esitamise tähtpäev 27.08.2025

Peavastutaja: Majandus- ja Kommunikatsiooniministeerium

Kaasvastutajad: Siseministeerium, Sotsiaalministeerium, Kaitseministeerium, Kliimaministeerium, Riigikantselei JRKB, Regionaal- ja Põllumajandusministeerium

Sisukokkuvõte

Euroopa Komisjon avaldas 9. juulil 2025 uue Euroopa Liidu varude strateegia, mis on osa Euroopa Valmidusliidu (Preparedness Union) tegevuskavast. Strateegia eesmärk on tugevdada ELi kriisivalmidust, tagades kriitiliste ressursside olemasolu ja kiire kättesaadavuse kogu liidus eriolukordades, sh loodusõnnetustes, geopoliitilistes kriisides ja hübriidohtude korral.

Strateegia keskendub varude ennetavale planeerimisele, liikmesriikidevahelise koostöö parandamisele, tsiviil-sõjalise koostöö tugevdamisele ning avaliku ja erasektori kaasamisele. Meetmete fookuses on olulised valdkonnad nagu meditsiinivarud, energia-, vee- ja toidujulgeolek, kriitilised toorained ja logistiline taristu.

Eesmärgid

Tugevdada ELi kriisivalmidust läbi strateegilise varude planeerimise ja varajase reageerimise võimekuse.

Parandada liikmesriikide vahelist ja ELi-sisest koostööd, et vältida dubleerimist ja tagada ühtne reageerimine.

Tagada kriitiliste ressursside olemasolu ja kättesaadavus kõikjal Euroopas kriiside ajal – nt toit, vesi, kütus, ravimid.

Luua koordineeritud ELi varuvõrgustik, mis võimaldab vajaduste hindamist, tõhusat hanget ja varude paigutust.

Tugevdada tarneahelate töökindlust ja ennetada katkestusi, sealhulgas küber- ja hübriidohtude korral.

2

Suurendada tsiviil-sõjalist koostööd, sh transpordi ja logistika osas.

Kaasa erasektor, et suurendada kriisidele reageerimise paindlikkust ja ulatust.

Mõju ja sihtrühm

Majandus

Majandus ja ettevõtlus

Sihtrühm: ELi ettevõtted, eriti kriitiliste sektorite tarnijad ja logistikapakkujad.

Mõju: loob uusi võimalusi osaleda ELi strateegilistes hangetes, vähendab konkurentsi liikmesriikide vahel kriisiolukordades, tagab varasema info ja selguse varustusahelas.

Tervishoid ja ühiskondlik turvalisus

Sihtrühm: Rahvaterviseasutused, haiglad, päästeteenistused.

Mõju: Meditsiinivarude (nt vaktsiinid, ravimid) parem kättesaadavus kriisiolukorras.

Riigikaitse ja julgeolek

Sihtrühm: Logistikakeskused, tsiviil- ja sõjaväelised koostööpartnerid.

Mõju: suurendab tsiviil-sõjalise koostöö tõhusust, tagab parema koordineerituse logistikaprotsessides (transport, laondus).

Rahvusvaheline koostöö

Sihtrühm: ELi välispartnerid ja rahvusvahelised abiorganisatsioonid.

Mõju: strateegilise autonoomia tugevdamine ja vastupidavuse kasvatamine rahvusvahelistele kriisidele.

Kaasamine

Kaasata algatustega seotud huvigrupid (sh kriitiliste varudega/elutähtsate teenuste pakkumisega seotud ettevõtjad).