It is a pleasure to be in beautiful Stockholm. As Commissioner for Preparedness, I often hear about Sweden. You set a benchmark in preparedness across our Union, and I am here to see firsthand how it works.

Its no coincidence that I start my visit here. Folk och Försvar is the place to discuss preparedness. You are open, inclusive, and based on trust between citizens and institutions.

Recently, I attended an informal ministerial meeting on civil preparedness organized by the coalition of the willing from Nordic, Baltic, and Benelux countries. Just last week, I was in Spain to highlight the importance of preparing for the wildfire season, both nationally and at the EU level.

Spain and Sweden are geographically distant and face different risks, but both countries are determined to keep their citizens safe in an increasingly dangerous world. The European Union stands here with you.

The risks our societies face are more complex than ever. Climate change hits harder. Geopolitical dynamics shift rapidly. Europe is encountering new threats — from cyber and hybrid attacks to disinformation and attacks on our critical infrastructure. These threats are real and demand a united response. The devastating wildfires of 2018 in Sweden were a wake-up call for all of us.

Together, we must become better prepared for this more dangerous reality. That is exactly what we are doing.

In the EU, we are taking strong actions. We launched our new Preparedness Strategy in March. It is concrete, comprehensive, and operational. We employ an all-hazards, whole-of-government, and whole-of-society approach. Everyone must be ready for anything. We believe everyone should play a role in keeping our societies safe — citizens, businesses, and civil society, not just the experts and professionals.

Preparedness is also a mindset. We are therefore working to build a new culture of preparedness across our continent. In Sweden, you understand this and will play an important role.

Citizens and communities are the backbone of their own security. Our new EU Preparedness Strategy places people at the heart of our preparedness. This was also a strong focus of the last Swedish Presidency.

Your 2024 preparedness brochure is an excellent example. I highlighted this brochure during my press conference for the launch of our new EU preparedness strategy. I also recently met a visually impaired Swedish woman who had read the Braille version of the brochure — a great example of leaving no one behind.

We are building greater awareness across the EU — not to scare people, but to ensure they are ready. One simple idea: we want people to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours in a crisis — just like in Sweden.

Our EU Strategy also emphasizes the need for investments that serve both civilian and military purposes — what we call dual-use by design. We need to strengthen civil-military cooperation, not just in emergencies, but from the start in planning, training, and joint exercises. When a crisis strikes, everyone should know their role.

Civil preparedness must become a way of life, and Sweden is an inspiration in this. Your Total Defence concept is an example of the whole society and whole government preparing together. As Europe faces new security threats, we are working to build support for a European Civil Defence Mechanism, inspired in part by Sweden.

This is an opportunity to bring citizens and communities to the heart of preparedness and to strengthen cooperation between civilian and military actors in planning and capabilities. This new mechanism could build on the Union Civil Protection Mechanism with a sharper focus on civilian defence preparedness.

Now we are focused on putting our new Strategy into action. In early July, we will adopt its very first deliverable: our EU Stockpiling Strategy which will strengthen Europes autonomy and keep our citizens safer.

Disasters are not gender neutral. In emergencies, existing inequalities deepen, and the risk of gender-based violence rises. As Commissioner for Equality, I am determined to ensure our preparedness efforts leave no one behind. We are working to promote gender equality at every stage of the disaster risk cycle, always rooted in the principles of inclusion and non-discrimination.

I am committed to building societies where women lead in crisis management and help shape the way we plan and respond. I look forward to working closely with Sweden on this.

In times of trouble, that is when you find out who your friends really are. Preparedness is not just about anticipating the next crisis, it is about building trust, protecting people, and standing together when it matters most. Sweden and the EU – stronger and better prepared together.