Strategic crisis management in the European Union

Abstract

This chapter provides the introduction to this Evidence Review Report, and sets out the frame and purpose. The report’s aim is to inform the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors to the European Commission by providing evidence to answer the questions put forward in the scoping paper:2 Based on a broad and multidisciplinary understanding, how can the EU improve its strategic crisis management? The Scoping Paper formulates the formal joint request for advice from the Commissioner for Research and Innovation and the Commissioner for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid to the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors (see Annex 2 for information about the background on this report). The focus on European strategic crisis management implies that the Evidence Review targets the policymakers and decision-makers who are responsible for facilitating and coordinating crisis management across the member states, rather than providing operational guidelines. This report warns that crises are becoming increasingly frequent, complex, protracted and compound in nature. As such, they can cascade into other sectors, regions, and nations, making them transboundary. For policymakers, overlapping ‘polycrises’ will be characteristic of the future. This trend also implies that the conventional lines between crises, risk and resilience is becoming blurred. Therefore, this report is based on multidisciplinary evidence from academia and practice rooted in the areas of crisis, risk and resilience.