Digidem Lab conducted the recruiting of Swedish citizens for the European Commission’s citizens’ panel on preparedness, which was held in spring 2026. A total of 150 randomly selected citizens from the 27 member states met on three occasions to develop recommendations on the question: How can the EU better prepare, inform, and warn people ahead of future crises?

European citizen’s panel on preparedness

To effectively address future crises such as climate-related disasters, pandemics, and geopolitical challenges, the EU needs strong societal preparedness. The European Commission has therefore developed a strategy for a Preparedness Union. This strategy highlights the important role of citizens and local organizations in strengthening society’s ability to prevent, manage, and recover from crises. The citizens’ panel on preparedness was part of this broader effort to build stronger societal preparedness and advance a Preparedness Union. The questions addressed during the panel were:

• How can all European citizens be empowered and better prepared for crises?
• How do we ensure that the actions and initiatives of the EU Preparedness Union Strategy are inclusive, effective, and respond to the needs of all citizens?

The citizens’ panel took place between March and May 2026 and consisted of three sessions, where 150 randomly selected participants met in Brussels and online to develop recommendations. During the first meeting in March, all participants gathered in Brussels to take part of expert knowledge and were divided into smaller working groups. In April, the groups met online to further develop their recommendations. At the final meeting in May, all participants reconvened in Brussels to present their proposals, vote on which recommendations to submit to the European Commission, and formally hand them over.

Digidem Lab conducted the recruitment of Swedish participants

Like previous citizens’ panels on the EU budget and intergenerational fairness, Digidem Lab was commissioned to support the European Commission in recruiting panel members in Sweden. During autumn 2025, Digidem Lab planned, coordinated, and carried out a door-to-door recruitment process in five randomly selected locations: Lund, Malmö, Vallentuna, Trelleborg, and Östhammar. From among many interested citizens, one person from each location was selected by lottery to ensure a fair and random selection process.

The panel members contributed to EU policy development during the spring, travelled to Brussels with all expenses covered, received compensation for their participation, and met participants from 27 different countries. The outcome of the citizens’ panel was a set of concrete recommendations that will now serve as a basis for the EU’s continued work on preparedness.

Image source: https://citizens.ec.europa.eu/citizens-panel-preparedness_en