rescEU: First-ever CBRN reserve in Finland
On 17 January, the Commission allocated €242 million to Finland for the development of the first rescEU chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) strategic reserve.
After setting up rescEU reserves in the areas of forest fighting and medical stockpile of protective equipment and devices, the European Commission now focuses on chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats. It does so by allocating €242 million to Finland for the development of a strategic reserve dedicated to CBRN equipment.
This new reserve will include critical medical countermeasures, such as vaccines and antidotes, medical devices, and field response equipment to ensure better protection and response in the aftermath of CBRN events or in preparation for high-risk situations. The training of staff will also be financed by the European Commission.
The CBRN strategic reserve is part of the development of an EU-level stockpiling approach of medical countermeasures to be used in health emergencies, established in the framework of the strengthened EU Civil Protection Mechanism and further elaborated with the health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA). The goal is to strengthen CBRN expertise in Europe and ensure that capabilities and response teams are interoperable and can be deployed anywhere across the continent.
In an emergency, the rescEU reserves provide assistance to all EU Member States, Participating States to the Civil Protection Mechanism and can also be deployed to EU neighbouring countries. The rescEU reserves are 100% EU-financed and the European Commission maintains control of their operation in close cooperation with the countries hosting the reserves.
Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has confirmed the need to strengthen EU CBRN preparedness. That is why, the rescEU CBRN reserves will provide the EU with a significant safety net enabling a quick and coordinated response at EU level. I would like to congratulate Finland for being the first Member State to develop a CBRN strategic reserve through rescEU.