Commissioner Hadja Lahbib visits the National Emergency Supply Agency

Commissioner Lahbib is responsible for developing and implementing an EU Preparedness Union Strategy which will help the Union and its Member States to better anticipate, prevent and prepare for various crises. In addition to the comprehensive EU Preparedness Union Strategy, Lahbib is involved in promoting the EU stockpiling strategy of July 2025, which will strengthen the Union's material preparedness.

Strengthening material preparedness at the EU level means enhancing cooperation and exchange of information between Member States and close partnership with the private sector, among other measures. The NESA has contributed its expertise to the preparation of the EU stockpiling strategy and is involved in its implementation.

The NESA is also actively contributing to European Union preparedness in two Finnish rescEU projects (CBRN and Medical), in which its responsibilities include the storage and logistics of critical materials.

Earlier this week, the Finnish rescEU consortium practised the deployment of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and rescEU stockpiles during an imagined radiation incident in a major international exercise called Rescue Borealis. Organised in Oulu, the exercise involved authorities and other rescue specialists from Finland, Sweden, Norway and Germany. Commissioner Lahbib and CEO Känkänen reviewed the exercise yesterday, on Thursday.

The Finnish rescEU consortium includes the NESA, the Ministry of the Interior (consortium leader), the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority and the National Institute for Health and Welfare.

Further information:

Communications Specialist Mari Mäkinen, tel. +358 (0)29 505 1114, mari.makinen@nesa.fi, National Emergency Supply Agency