The European Commission’s President Ursula von der Leyen called for the launch of a European Civil Defence Mechanism, speaking about climate change adaptation in a video message at the Hanalhomen Forum.

As she noted, Europe has an excellent Civil Protection Mechanism, and they want to build on that and launch a new European Civil Defence Mechanism. 

Military and civilian personnel must be ready to cooperate in emergency situations, not only at the national but also at the European level, she concluded.

Ursula von der Leyen said that a new Commission will present a Strategy for the Union’s preparedness, pointing out that it will look at what needs to change in all EU policies.

In this context, in addition to the European Defence Policy Mechanism for adaptation to climate change, she also focused on critical supply chains. The most vital supply chains must be resistant to the crisis, stressed the president of the Commission.

She also underlined that there must be a scaling-up of EU defence industrial production and added that this requires a true single defense market, with more cross-border cooperation, more standardization, and a stronger role for European small and medium-sized enterprises in supply chains.

Finally, Ursula von der Leyen said that the EU’s capacity to produce high-tech products, but also large quantities such as ammunition, should be strengthened.

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