European Barometer: Economic Pressure Is Reshaping Companies’ Crisis Agenda, Yet 40% Are Poorly Prepared
Bucharest, June 16, 2026 – Economic uncertainty has become the fastest-growing risk in terms of importance for companies over the past 12 months, followed by geopolitical instability, cyberattacks, and disinformation. This is one of the conclusions of the latest survey conducted by Crisis Communications Network Europe (CCNE), the only European network bringing together crisis specialists from 20 countries, including Romania.
The data shows that more than three-quarters of respondents, namely 76%, consider economic uncertainty an increasingly critical risk for the business environment. Next in the hierarchy of concerns are geopolitical instability, mentioned by 59% of experts, cyberattacks, cited by 47%, and disinformation, flagged by 41% of respondents. According to experts, risks are increasing not only in intensity but also in their degree of interconnection, making crises more difficult to anticipate and manage.
Despite these complex threats, the annual survey shows that approximately 40% of the companies advised by CCNE experts are poorly prepared for crises, while a quarter of organisations are only moderately prepared and only 10% are considered very well prepared. Moreover, half of the experts surveyed estimate that organisations have not made significant improvements over the past year to strengthen their response capacity in the face of risks.
“Many companies believe they are prepared for a crisis because they have a plan, a few procedures, or a designated team. The problem is that the current environment no longer follows the logic of a single crisis that appears in isolation and can be managed step by step. We are in a period of permacrisis, in which economic pressure, political instability, cyberattacks, disinformation, social tensions, and operational vulnerabilities can overlap very quickly. In Romania, we see that very few companies are prepared for this type of compound scenario. Crisis preparedness does not mean a formal document, but tested scenarios, clear responsibilities, constant exercises, and leaders’ ability to make quick decisions under pressure,” says Ana Maria Gardiner, crisis expert and CCNE representative in Romania.
The regional and local context amplifies these challenges. Cumulative inflation of more than 58% recorded from 2020 to the present has put pressure on purchasing power, production costs, and investment decisions. At the geopolitical level, ongoing international conflicts continue to affect supply chains, logistics costs, and market predictability. At the same time, the local political and fiscal context, marked by unpredictability, is prompting many companies to adopt a wait-and-see approach, and postponing strategic decisions can, in turn, create operational vulnerabilities.
Economic pressure is no longer merely a contextual element, but is becoming a direct crisis factor for companies. Restructuring processes, reduced investments, price adjustments, project delays, or business reorganisations can generate chain effects, impacting employees, suppliers, partners, and local communities. In this new context, organisations need crisis scenarios that take into account multiple simultaneous risks, not just isolated incidents.
The survey also shows that preparedness tools are used unevenly across the business sector. Although crisis training, scenario analyses, and standard plans are relatively widespread, practical solutions that test the real capacity to respond remain insufficiently used. Simulations, applied exercises, stress tests, resilience training for teams, and advanced monitoring tools are essential in a context where a crisis can rapidly evolve from an operational issue into a situation with an impact on multiple stakeholder groups.
Another relevant conclusion for the period ahead is the increasingly important role of external actors in the evolution of a crisis. Authorities, employees, local communities, the media, shareholders, suppliers, and partners can decisively influence how a company navigates a critical moment. That is why companies can no longer view crisis preparedness solely as an internal process, but as a coordination capability between management, operations, communication, and the relationship with all other parties involved.
About the “Pulse Check 2026” Survey
The data is part of the annual “Pulse Check 2026” survey, recently discussed in Lisbon by the leaders of Crisis Communications Network Europe. The study, conducted in March and April, brings together the assessments of more than 70 leading strategists and experts in risk and crisis management from 19 European countries, including Romania. The sample turns the research into an essential barometer for economic trends and operational risks in the second half of 2026.
About CCNE
Crisis Communications Network Europe is the only European network bringing together crisis specialists from 20 countries. CCNE members provide strategic support in managing cross-border crises and contribute to the exchange of best practices in risk communication. Lighthouse PR is the Romanian representative within CCNE. https://ccn-europe.com, www.lighthousepr.ro.
This press release generated valuable articles across the entire spectrum of the Romanian media landscape, including press agencies, top 3 business news websites, business magazines, advertising media, the number one sports news site, HR media, general news outlets and even regional media. This includes Agerpres, Libertatea, GSP, Ziarul Financiar, Forbes, Profit.ro, Wall-street.ro, IQads, Revista BIZ, Stiripesurse.ro, Revista Cariere and Bursa.