Floods, droughts, pandemics, cyberattacks, and war at our borders – these are no longer exceptions but recurring realities. On November 14, former Finnish President Sauli Niinistö presented his report, “Strengthening Europe’s Civil and Military Preparedness and Readiness,” to the European Parliament. The report outlines how the EU can take a more proactive approach to security and crisis preparedness instead of merely reacting to events. Some of his key recommendations include:
- Improved risk assessments to identify vulnerabilities early
- Clear communication of threats without causing panic, enabling citizens to prepare
- Ensuring critical systems remain operational even under challenging conditions
- Faster decision-making processes and stronger civil-military cooperation
- Enhanced intelligence sharing to build resilience against hybrid threats
Niinistö emphasized the need for increasing collective investment to achieve these goals.
Acting proactively instead of reactively – and doing so together
In my speech and an interview with Phoenix Europatalk alongside my colleague Tobias Cremer, I stressed the importance of acting proactively and collectively – especially in the face of emerging threats like sabotage of critical infrastructure or cyberattacks.
Critical infrastructure: gas pipelines and undersea cables
Critical infrastructure includes all essential systems and services that sustain our daily lives: electricity and water supply, transportation, communication networks, hospitals, emergency services, and digital systems like the internet and data storage.
Niinistö warns that attacks on critical infrastructure, such as energy networks, can cause power outages that simultaneously affect multiple EU countries, result in significant economic losses, and endanger public safety.
We have already witnessed damage to gas pipelines and undersea cables – often under “suspicious circumstances”. The Baltic Sea has recently become a focal point for such sabotage acts. Just recently, an undersea cable between Finland and Germany was cut. Over 95% of the world’s internet traffic between continents flows through such cables. These invisible connections hold our digital world together – and they are vulnerable.
To improve the security and resilience of Europe’s undersea cables and protect digital autonomy, Niinistö proposes the creation of a joint EU fleet for maintenance and repair. This fleet could operate like the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (EUCPM): in crises beyond a single country’s capacity, EU member states could provide assistance.
Cyberattacks know no borders
Cyberattacks further highlight the urgency of unified measures. Niinistö explains: “Hospitals whose IT systems are paralyzed by cyberattacks cannot treat patients, surgeries are delayed, and lives are at risk.”
For example, last year in South Westphalia, hackers disabled IT systems. For months, emergency services, marriage registrations, and even the issuance of birth certificates were disrupted. The EU is falling behind: state-sponsored cyberattacks have quadrupled over the past decade, and there is a shortage of one million cybersecurity experts across Europe.
European cybersecurity – now!
An attack on one EU country affects us all. That’s why I emphasized during the debate: no member state can tackle these threats alone. While the Cyber Solidarity Act and the NIS2 Directive are important steps, they are not enough. We need to act faster and collaborate more closely.
These measures must be implemented at the European level. Fragmented, national approaches will fail. Cybersecurity is not just a technical issue – it is about protecting our shared values and our future.
Building a resilient Europe together
Whether it’s sabotage of undersea cables, natural disasters, or cyberattacks – crises are the new normal. Our response cannot be hesitant or divided. We have to be prepared, act together, and make Europe more resilient.
Our security is only as strong as our unity. Together, we can build a Europe that is ready for the challenges ahead.