Resilient Europe 2026: Business, Government and Civil Society Compare Notes on Crisis Preparedness

More than 200 experts from 26 countries came together to work out what societies need to build before a crisis, so they keep functioning during one.

In October, the Centre for an Informed Society (CIS) hosted Resilient Europe 2026, an international conference on crisis preparedness. Business leaders, government officials, municipal representatives, health professionals, researchers and NGOs spent the event on one question. How do we prepare societies for shocks that cross borders and sectors? European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib addressed the participants.

“We need to make preparedness second nature for everyone across our continent. That is why the work of the Centre for an Informed Society is so important. You bring governments, businesses, and civil society together to build that Europe.” – Hadja Lahbib

The mix of participants shaped the conversation. A border agency, a bank, a hospital and a town hall see different risks, and each holds knowledge the others lack. Countries on the EU’s eastern edge brought lessons from living close to an aggressor, while others showed how their systems cope with migration, cyber threats and supply disruptions.

Preparedness starts close to home

Several discussions kept returning to the local level. Lithuania’s first red alert since the Second World War prompted many schools to draw up crisis plans, which showed how quickly communities act once the risk feels real. Municipalities are the institutions closest to citizens, so investment should reach the places where damage would hurt most. Lithuanian officials described the shift from civil protection to civil defence, with shelters and apps for communicating with citizens. They summed up the logic in one line – societal resilience is built before a crisis, not after it.

The Commissioner drew on Czech experience as well. In the 2022 fires in Bohemian Switzerland, more than 6,000 Czech firefighters were mobilised and help arrived from Italy and Sweden. The floods of September 2024 showed what works. Early warnings, clear communication and strong local preparedness. She also praised Czechia’s 72-hour preparedness guide as the kind of tool that every European country needs.

Cooperation needs rehearsal

Czech experience from 2022 showed what happens when many people want to help at once. Private companies offered support during the response to the Ukrainian refugee wave, yet coordinating those offers proved difficult. Participants agreed that the government and private sector need to settle roles in advance. A centralised system also helps information travel fast, and clear, quick communication made the biggest difference in a crisis.

Economic continuity is a security issue

Panelists on economic resilience pointed to cyberattacks as one of the biggest threats to Europe, with energy grids, telecommunications and banking as likely targets. The Spanish blackout showed how much depends on small things, such as being able to pay with a physical card when the power is out. Lithuanian officials offered a useful rule of thumb – people can cope with being hungry for 72 hours, but not for seven days.

Mental health is part of the plan

A dedicated panel treated mental health as a capability that societies build in advance, alongside supplies and infrastructure. Speakers highlighted the needs of health workers, the families of veterans and children affected by war. Psychological injuries often surface months after an event, so support systems must stay in place for the long run. Czechia’s self-help system created during COVID served as an example of what works. Speakers also stressed that people in crisis need to feel connected to their community, and that experts should ask people what they need before deciding what to offer.

Principles, not copies

Security cannot be separated from society, and a responsible citizen is the basis of a resilient country. The aim of the conference was to draw on the experience of other countries and transfer principles that work, adapted to local conditions.

“Preparedness grows when people try things together,” said Andrea Michalcová, CEO of CIS. “At Resilient Europe, business, government and NGOs tested ideas on each other and heard how they work in practice in other countries. That exchange turns good intentions into plans people can use.”

Held under the auspices of the President of the Czech Republic, the Minister of Health of the Czech Republic and the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic.

This Conference receives financial support from the European Parliament. Sole liability rests with the organiser, the European Parliament is not responsible for the activity.