Ten European Countries Strengthen Cooperation on Civil Protection and Evacuation
Ministers responsible for civil protection from Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Germany have agreed on the content of a Memorandum aimed at strengthening cooperation in the field of civilian protection. By signing this memorandum, the countries decided to enhance regional preparedness to respond to major crises and to ensure effective protection of civilians, taking into account the complex security situation in Europe.
In recent years, the European security environment has become increasingly complex — hybrid threats are growing, airspace violations are being recorded, suspected cases of critical infrastructure sabotage have been reported, and russia’s large-scale military aggression against Ukraine continues to have a direct impact on regional stability. In response to these threats, the countries that will sign the memorandum aim to deepen mutual cooperation and, through joint planning, strengthen collective capabilities to protect civilians during emergency situations.
The memorandum places particular emphasis on planning cross-border evacuations and preparing to manage uncontrolled population movements. The countries of the region agreed to develop common planning principles, align procedures, exchange necessary information in compliance with security requirements, assess transport and infrastructure capacities, identify potential evacuation corridors, border crossing points, transit and accommodation locations, and strengthen cooperation among civilian and military institutions as well as between the public and private sectors. Special attention will be given to the protection of vulnerable persons.
“This agreement is an important step in strengthening regional security. Today we face threats that transcend national borders, therefore our response must also be collective. This memorandum allows us to plan and coordinate actions in advance so that, if necessary, we can quickly and safely protect civilians, ensure evacuation, and provide effective assistance to people during crises,” said Minister of the Interior Vladislavas Kondratovičius.
Cooperation will be based on NATO’s updated baseline requirements for resilience and will be implemented in accordance with international law, human rights, international humanitarian law, applicable European Union law, and NATO systems. A separate operational annex will be prepared to detail practical mechanisms for information exchange, coordination, and implementation.
Last updated: 09-03-2026
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