Five EU governments tell citizens to keep cash for 72-hour emergencies

Austria, Finland, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands now advise households to hold €70–100 in cash for 72 hours of essentials. The guidance extends a 2025 EU stockpile push driven by war, climate disasters and cyber-attacks — such as the UK's Marks & Spencer breach that halted online orders for weeks. The ECB calls cash "a critical part of national crisis preparedness" and wants legislation protecting ATM networks across the EU.