The Resilience of Critical Organisations with Special Emphasis on the Comparative Analysis of EU and US Regulatory Frameworks

Abstract

The resilience of critical organizations has become a key issue in disaster management, public administration, and national security over the past decade. The aim of this study is to provide a comparative analysis of the regulatory and institutional approaches adopted by the European Union (EU) and the United States of America (USA) to strengthen the resilience of critical organizations. In this article, the authors review the concept of resilience and its significance in the stable maintenance of social and economic processes, the environment and defense capabilities, and the security of essential services for the population. This is followed by a detailed comparison of the legal and strategic regulatory frameworks of the European Union and the United States of America in terms of strengthening the resilience of critical infrastructures and organizations. The study shows that while both regions are increasingly focusing on all-hazards resilience in managing natural disasters, epidemics and other crises, EU regulation tends to focus on legally binding guidelines and comprehensive strategies to increase the resilience of entities providing essential services, while USA regulation has long been based on voluntary cooperation and guidelines, which are supplemented by more mandatory elements in recent strategies. The study concludes that the gradual convergence of these approaches points toward a hybrid model of resilience, offering valuable lessons for the development of public administration and disaster management.