According to a press release from MSB on 16 May, Charlotte Petri Gornitzka, DG MSB, led the meeting together with the European Commission. The Director General meeting is held twice a year and the European Commission is responsible for the meeting agenda. MSB and the Ministry of Defence were responsible for the planning, as Sweden currently holds the presidency of the EU Council of Ministers. Among the other countries, Ukraine participated for the first time as a new participant in the civil protection mechanism.
The civil protection mechanism was established in 2001 and operates by allowing a country, both within and outside Europe, to request support and resources in an emergency that exceeds national capacity. MSB is Sweden's contact point towards the EU's civil protection mechanism and acts as a recipient of requests as well as offering assistance to affected countries. If necessary, MSB can also facilitate support from other countries to Sweden.
– It has been valuable to receive my European colleagues here in Sweden. We have discussed important issues such as how we can strengthen society's overall resilience, including cooperation with the business sector and individual preparedness, says Charlotte in MSB's press release.