Finland Norway emergency preparedness exercise tested the ability of both countries to deliver medical aid across borders during a simulated crisis. The drill, held on 15–16 September, focused on coordination under the EU’s rescEU civil protection mechanism.
The operation, named RescEU Medical Livex, involved sending medical supplies from Finland to Norway as part of a fictional emergency scenario. The exercise is part of a larger EU initiative to strengthen response capabilities during large-scale disasters and public health emergencies.
Since 2023, Finland has hosted EU strategic stockpiles supported by €305 million in funding from the European Commission. These rescEU reserves include medicines, protective equipment, diagnostic tools and emergency medical supplies. Other EU countries maintain similar stockpiles to ensure rapid cross-border support when needed.
Ilona Hatakka, project manager at the Finnish Ministry of the Interior, said the drill provided a critical test of logistics under time pressure. “In a crisis, aid must be dispatched within 12 hours of acceptance. That demands seamless coordination between the requesting country, the sending country, and the EU’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre,” she explained.
Piia Ollila, co-project manager from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, emphasized the importance of cross-border cooperation. “This type of training helps identify real-world challenges, especially in the delivery of pharmaceutical products,” she noted.
The Nordic countries have a long history of civil protection collaboration. Current security concerns have increased the urgency for joint planning. Anders Gundersen, lead analyst at Norway’s Directorate for Civil Protection, commented, “This exercise is vital for our shared security. In northern areas, resources can be limited, and cross-border action may be necessary regardless of the nature of the crisis.”
The exercise forms part of the larger Rescue Borealis 2025 programme. A more extensive field exercise will take place in Oulu from 29 September to 3 October. This event will bring together emergency response units from Finland, Norway and Sweden to practice joint operations in realistic conditions.
The stockpiles used in this week’s exercise are managed under two EU-funded projects. The RescEU Medical programme focuses on major incident response, storing essential medical products and radiation detection equipment. The RescEU CBRN programme prepares for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats.
Finland coordinates the joint effort through several institutions, including the Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, National Emergency Supply Agency, and the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority. These agencies ensure that medical aid can reach the affected areas quickly and efficiently during any emergency.
