EU Survival Kits Raise Concerns Over Fearmongering

The European Commission has introduced a “resilience kit” to help citizens prepare for emergencies such as natural disasters, cyberattacks, or conflicts by being self-sufficient for 72 hours. The kit includes essentials like food, water, medicine, and important documents. While some see this as a sensible move toward preparedness, far-right critics have labeled it as fearmongering and “war hysteria.” However, many European countries—especially those near Russia—have already adopted similar initiatives, reflecting a growing emphasis on civil protection. Supporters argue that being prepared does not create panic but instead empowers people to respond confidently to crises.

Read the article to learn why the EU’s survival kits are stirring debate and be prepared to answer the questions below.

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/04/02/the-eu-commissions-survival-kits-fearmongering-or-necessary-preparedness

Vocabulary Questions:

1. What does “self-sufficiency” mean? “Hadja Lahbib, the EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management recently presented a survival kit to be self-sufficient for 72 hours in case of a crisis.” Use this term in a sentence and give a synonym or similar expression.
2. What does “resilience kit” mean? “The far right accuses the European Commission of sowing fear, after its presentation of the resilience kit which aims to provide self-sufficiency in case of crisis.” Use this term in a sentence and give a synonym.
3. What does “geopolitical conflicts” mean? “But the initiative, which is one of the Commission’s 30 recommendations to better prepare the Union for natural disasters, geopolitical conflicts or cyber attacks, has also been criticised.” Use this term in a sentence and give a synonym.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are your thoughts on emergency-preparedness?
2. Have you ever experienced a situation where you wished you had been more prepared?
3. What would you include in your own resilience kit, and why?
4. Does this news promote practical preparedness, or does it lean more toward fearmongering? Explain your answer.
5. How did the recent power outage in Spain and Portugal highlight the need for better emergency preparedness among households?
6. How can schools or local communities contribute to building a culture of preparedness without causing unnecessary alarm?