Finland’s rescEU Medical Stockpile reached full readiness

The rescEU Medical Stockpile hosted in Finland reached its full material readiness at the end of April. All products specified in the original plan have now been purchased and stored and they are ready to go. The project was completed on schedule, thanks to seamless cooperation among the different parties.

At the first stage, radiation meters for monitoring foodstuffs and food were included in the stockpile last autumn, with the National Emergency Supply Agency responsible for their procurement together with the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority. During this spring, the capacity has been supplemented with additional equipment so that the whole package responds to the needs of authorities in requesting countries as well as possible.

Material readiness was supplemented by reaching full readiness in terms of medical products in the beginning of 2026. The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare was responsible for the procurement of this extensive medical package. The package will support the care of seriously injured patients, management of antimicrobial resistance and response to cross-border health threats such as pandemics.

In terms of the number of products, healthcare materials constitute the largest package procured. The National Emergency Supply Agency was responsible for procuring the materials and equipment in cooperation with Hansel. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health was responsible for the medical guidance related to the materials. The minimum requirements for the products were defined in cooperation with clinical experts to ensure that the materials correspond to the medical needs of patient care. The materials are also suitable for demanding acute care and care of trauma patients. In terms of successful procurements and staying on schedule, cooperation between different operators has been crucial. 

Emergency Services Academy provides training in use of stored CBRN materials and equipment

During 2025 the Emergency Services Academy in Kuopio, in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior and the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, trained 6 new experts, who together with about 60 other CBRN experts joined the rescEU pool of experts. They are experts working in rescue services and other authorities operating in different parts of Finland and healthcare and social welfare professionals who can, when necessary, be deployed alongside the materials to the recipient country to advise end users on the safe use of the stored materials and equipment.

Stockpiles are continuously developed

The rescEU stockpiles hosted in Finland are intended for Member States and countries that have joined the EU Civil Protection Mechanism in situations where the requesting country’s internal resources are insufficient to respond to a crisis or emergency. 

The package of materials and equipment in the stockpiles is developed continuously. Supplementary development plans were drawn up during the spring. When planning new procurements, special attention will be paid to promoting the circulation of materials and medical products to minimise losses. A pilot project on the material cycle of healthcare products is under way where the recycling of ageing materials as part of the service system is being tested. This is no longer just a good practice – in the future it will the approach required by the Commission for maintaining strategic stockpiles. 

The main focus of the project is on preparing for healthcare crisis situations, but the Ministry of the Interior still has a key role in the whole package. The Ministry of the Interior serves as the national contact point for the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and is responsible for the national coordination of the rescEU projects. This role supports cooperation between the operators and ensures that the national readiness and EU-level mechanisms work well together.

Inquiries:
Ilona Hatakka, Project Manager, tel. +358 295 488 224, rescEU Medical Stockpiling project
Piia Ollila, Project Manager, tel. +358 295 163 112, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (from Monday 18 May)

The email addresses of the Ministry of the Interior are in the format firstname.lastname@gov.fi.