The EU's 72-hour emergency kit
The EU asks every household to manage on its own for at least 72 hours. The European Commission set that minimum in its Preparedness Union Strategy and listed what it covers in its guidelines of 30 October 2026.
What the EU asks for
Seventy-two hours, as a floor. The Commission's guidelines tell national civil protection authorities to "Promote at least 72 hours of self-sufficiency as a minimum baseline" (C(2026) 8250, checked 11 Nov 2026).
The reason it gives: the first three days of a crisis put emergency services under the most pressure, so households that cover their own needs free help for the people who need it most.
The guidance goes to governments. Your own country's agency turns it into the list you shop from.
The Commission's list
These are the essential items in the staff working document that comes with the guidelines.
| Need | What the Commission lists |
|---|---|
| Food | Keeps at room temperature, needs no heating and little or no water, can be eaten with no or simple preparation |
| Water | Stored water for drinking, basic cooking and hygiene |
| Heat, cooling and light | An alternative way to heat or cool, and lighting |
| Health | Medicines and first aid equipment |
| Hygiene | Personal hygiene and sanitation supplies, with a plan for toilet use and waste |
| Information | A way to receive emergency information and stay in touch, for example a battery radio and fully charged power banks |
| Cash | A reserve of cash, including small notes and coins, in case digital payments fail |
| Offline payment | An offline digital payment method where one exists |
Source: SWD(2026) 826, pages 15 and 16.
What member states add
Several national agencies give a water figure. All of them start at 3 days or more.
| Country | Days at home | Water |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium (NCCN) | at least 3 days (72 hours) | 3 to 10 L per person per day, of which an adult drinks 1.5 to 2 L |
| Netherlands (Denk vooruit) | the first 72 hours | 3 L per person per day |
| Poland (gov.pl) | at least 3 days | at least 3 L per person per day |
| France (ecologie.gouv.fr) | 72 hours | 6 L per person, in sealed containers |
| Sweden (Krisinformation.se) | at least one week | 3 to 5 L per person per day |
| Germany (BBK) | 10 days, and 3 days already helps | no figure on its main page |
Each figure read on the agency's own page on 11 Nov 2026.
Water for your household
At 3 litres per person per day, the figure the Dutch and Polish agencies use:
| People | 3 days | 1 week |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 L | 21 L |
| 2 | 18 L | 42 L |
| 3 | 27 L | 63 L |
| 4 | 36 L | 84 L |
| 5 | 45 L | 105 L |
| 6 | 54 L | 126 L |
Belgium and Sweden count more, up to 10 and 5 litres. The water calculator adds pets and hot weather for your home.
Supplies at home, or a bag to leave with?
The Commission keeps these apart, and asks countries to do the same.
- Household supplies are for staying at home: the eight rows in the table above.
- An emergency bag (grab-and-go bag) is for leaving fast. The Commission's typical contents are identification documents, cash and basic supplies, adapted to your needs and local risks.
- A household plan that names your nearest shelter and how you reach family and friends if mobile networks are down.
- Pets, which the guidelines list as an extra to plan for.
- Skills: first aid, psychological first aid, and knowing what to do in different emergencies.
Build it a bit at a time
The Commission asks for simple first steps and gradual progress, adapted to your budget and space.
01See what you already have
- Count the water, food that needs no fridge, torches and batteries already in the house.
- Check prescription medicines and how many days they cover.
02Fill the gaps for 3 days
- Work down the eight needs in the EU list.
- Our 72-hour checklist lists the items one by one and saves your ticks on this device.
- Food that keeps and needs no cooking: see emergency food with no power.
03Write the plan
- Agree where you meet and who calls whom.
- The family emergency plan tool walks you through it.
Questions people ask
Does the EU require me to keep a 72-hour kit?
No. The guidelines are advice from the Commission to national authorities. Your country decides how it asks households to prepare.
How much water does the EU say to store?
The EU list gives no litres. National agencies do: 3 litres per person per day in the Netherlands and Poland, 3 to 10 in Belgium.
Is 72 hours enough?
The Commission calls it a minimum, because nobody can say in advance how long a crisis will last. Sweden asks for a week and Germany for 10 days.
Why does the EU mention cash?
Card and phone payments can stop when the power or network fails. The list asks for small notes and coins for essential purchases.
What goes in the bag if I have to leave?
The Commission names identification documents, cash and basic supplies, adjusted to you and your local risks. Keep it separate from the supplies you store at home.
Read next
Sources
- European Commission: Guidelines on Population Preparedness, C(2026) 8250
- European Commission: SWD(2026) 826, reaching a population self-sufficiency of at least 72 hours The list of essential items, pages 15 and 16.
- European Commission: Preparedness Union Strategy, JOIN(2025) 130
- European Commission: Preparedness
- European Commission: 112, the European emergency number
- Belgium, NCCN: Een noodpakket bij je thuis
- Netherlands, Denk vooruit: Noodpakket
- Poland, gov.pl: Przygotuj swoje otoczenie
- France: Préparer son kit d'urgence 72 h
- Sweden, Krisinformation.se: Hemberedskap
- Germany, BBK: Vorsorge