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The European Commission is proposing that member states create reserves of critical resources and minerals amid growing concerns over the EU’s vulnerability to various threats.
This was reported by the Financial Times, citing a draft document from the European Commission.
In the draft, the EU’s executive body notes a “rise in geopolitical tensions, including conflicts, the increasing impact of climate change, environmental degradation, as well as hybrid and cyber threats.”
In response, the document proposes that EU member states coordinate the stockpiling of key resources—such as food, medicine, and even nuclear fuel—and establish a “stockpile network” for this purpose.
The draft also mentions the creation of EU-level reserves of specific items, such as cable repair modules, “to ensure rapid restoration in the event of power outages or damage to optical cables,” as well as rare earth metals and magnets.
The Commission further proposes the development of regularly updated lists of essential goods, tailored to each EU region and type of crisis, according to FT.
Currently, the EU operates a crisis response mechanism that includes joint reserves of evacuation equipment, certain medicines, and medical supplies.
The draft strategy seen by Financial Times is part of broader EU efforts to enhance its security and resilience.
In March, the EU advised households to stockpile enough essential supplies to survive at least 72 hours during a crisis.
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