By fostering public-private collaboration, ensuring trust-based information sharing, and reinforcing Europe’s economic foundations, we can build a stronger, more resilient Europe, prepared to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.
As Russia’s brutal war of aggression against Ukraine nears its fourth year, Europe continues to face unprecedented security challenges. The Polish EU Presidency has rightly placed security and defence at the top of its agenda.
Today, as EU leaders gather for an informal summit to discuss these critical issues, it is equally important for the business community to engage in the conversation. Companies must be prepared to respond not only to man-made threats—such as cyberattacks, espionage, and state-sponsored sabotage—but also to natural disasters and other crisis situations that test societal resilience.
As Europe strengthens its defence and preparedness capabilities, it is essential that businesses are included and actively engaged in the process. Companies own and manage many of the critical assets and services that form the backbone of societal resilience. Their expertise, innovation, and ability to ensure continuity in supply chains, infrastructure, and essential services make them indispensable partners in building a more secure and prepared Europe.
Trust is at the core of effective cooperation between the public and private sectors. Rather than relying on heavy regulation, capacity-building should be rooted in voluntary collaboration, ensuring that businesses have access to timely and relevant information from security authorities. A shared situational awareness will enable companies to take proactive measures in safeguarding critical operations.
Economic strength is fundamental to security and preparedness, and at its core lies the Single Market. A fully functioning and competitive Single Market not only enhances Europe’s economic resilience but also provides the foundation for the investments needed in defence, cybersecurity, and crisis preparedness. Strengthening Europe’s industrial base and reducing strategic dependencies are vital for both security and long-term competitiveness.
Finally, supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s brutal aggression remains a key priority. Ukraine’s resilience and defence are directly linked to Europe’s security. Businesses stand ready to contribute through economic support, supply chain stability, and investments that reinforce both Ukraine’s reconstruction and Europe’s broader strategic security objectives.
– We need to ramp-up our competitiveness in Europe, and not only regarding the defence industry. Without competitive enterprises we will not have the deterrence, defence or security needed. There is a clear interdependence between Security and sound economic strength, says Johan Sjöberg, Confederation of Swedish Enterprise Director defence and security policy.
By fostering public-private collaboration, ensuring trust-based information sharing, and reinforcing Europe’s economic foundations, we can build a stronger, more resilient Europe, prepared to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. Against this backdrop, the North East Flank business organizations have published a new joint statement outlining key principles from a business perspective on building societal preparedness. The statement also highlights priority areas where the private sector can play a significant role and presents opportunities for collaboration with the public sector to develop practical solutions that enhance societal preparedness and resilience capabilities.
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