Today, we are strengthening Europes resilience with two new strategies: the Stockpiling Strategy and the Medical Countermeasures Strategy.

The threats we face today are no longer distant. Hybrid attacks, power outages, extreme weather, and spreading diseases are real risks that are already part of our daily lives in Europe. That is why we are enhancing our preparedness.

A few months ago, we launched our new EU Preparedness Strategy. Today, we are already putting it into action with these two initiatives.

Since the start of my mandate, I have traveled across Europe and beyond to observe how different countries prepare for emergencies. Everywhere I go, one thing is clear: when people are well-prepared, they feel more confident and in control. They are not afraid.

I witnessed this most clearly in Sweden, where preparedness is part of the citizens DNA. From a young age, children learn what to do in an emergency, and adults have the tools and knowledge needed to act.

The lesson is simple: the more we prepare, the less we fear.

You wouldnt get in your car without wearing your seatbelt. Preparedness works the same way. It provides us security before the impact. That is what we are doing for Europe now with these two strategies.

Let me start with the Stockpiling Strategy. This is the first time the European Union is adopting a truly common approach to stockpiling. Our goal is clear: to ensure that essential supplies are available when and where they are needed.

We will achieve this through better planning, closer coordination, and shared ownership. We must move away from a fragmented, reactive model and shift towards a proactive, coordinated approach.

This strategy covers the entire stockpiling cycle - from A to Z. It begins with anticipating risks and identifying gaps. Then, we move to pooling our efforts to avoid duplicating resources. We do not need fleets of Canadair aircraft in every Member State; instead, we need a system that allows these resources to be quickly deployed across borders, wherever they are most needed.

With smarter coordination, we can be more efficient and effective, making better use of public funds. This also means strengthening transport and logistics and enhancing civil-military cooperation, which has proven vital during both the pandemic and natural disasters like floods and wildfires, as well as fostering cooperation in external actions and international partnerships.

We will also make the private sector a strong partner in keeping our societies safe. We will work with European businesses in all Member States to ensure that essential items - from food and water to medicines and masks - are available and ready.

We are also creating a new EU Stockpiling Network to improve coordination between Member States and with EU institutions. This new network will, for the first time, bring together all national stockpiling authorities to enhance coordination, exchange best practices, and build the trust that is essential in times of crisis.

Trust is what holds everything together, and transparency helps us understand where we stand - what we have, what we lack, and what we need to strengthen.

Material preparedness is about ensuring the right supplies are in the right place at the right time. Some areas, like medical countermeasures, require closer attention due to their complexity. However, to stockpile a vaccine or treatment, it must first exist. This is where the Medical Countermeasures Strategy comes in, our second major initiative.

Health preparedness is not a one-time effort but a continuous commitment. Today, we are making that commitment by presenting our Medical Countermeasures Strategy.

Medical countermeasures, such as vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and protective equipment, are strategic assets. Their rapid development, production, and supply save lives, protect our frontline responders, and help keep our societies running. Yet, these assets remain scarce or unavailable for many health threats affecting Europe.

This Medical Countermeasures Strategy has five key goals.

First, to enhance our threat intelligence system. Detecting emerging threats early is crucial; it helps us identify the right medical countermeasures. That is why we will collaborate with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control to build an EU wastewater surveillance system and expand it globally. It will function like an early warning radar, detecting infectious diseases in communities before symptoms appear at the population level. This gives us valuable time to respond early.

We will also invest in next-generation mobile detection labs to reach the most remote and hardest-hit areas and protect the most vulnerable.

Second, we will propose measures to expedite the development of medical countermeasures. This includes launching a Medical Countermeasures Accelerator and increasing the budget for HERA Invest. This will drive innovation and strengthen the competitiveness of a sector that is vital to our preparedness and security.

Third, we will work closely with the private sector and create a Rapid and Agile Manufacturing Partnership to boost the production of medical countermeasures.

Fourth, we will improve how we coordinate medical stockpiles across the EU and make joint procurement faster and more flexible, so we can respond quickly based on the specific threat we are facing.

Finally, to keep everyone safe, we need everyone on board. That is why we will deepen our civilian and military coordination, enhance our partnerships with global partners, and most importantly, invest in our greatest asset - our people. Researchers, manufacturers, doctors, nurses, and caregivers are at the heart of our preparedness. They need the right skills and expertise to respond to todays health challenges.

Strong preparedness also requires investment. But the cost of inaction is far greater. The pandemic showed us the price we pay when we are unprepared.

With this Medical Countermeasures Strategy, we are making a clear promise to our people: when the next crisis hits, Europe will be ready - to act quickly and save lives.