This policy is a prerequisite for active strategic engagement at home and abroad to contribute to a secure environment. Just as risks and threats are the result of closely intertwined internal and external events and developments, the response to them requires both decisive action at all Belgian policy levels and action abroad, together with partners, especially in the EU context. 

This integrated approach applies to all the domains discussed in 3.b. All domains, regardless of how they are grouped, are interconnected and the strategy should therefore be considered as a whole. 

Resilience is understood as a coherent set of measures that enables our society to continue functioning by protecting against and responding to incidents that put its vital interests and fundamental values under pressure. This requires resilience of individuals, society, business and government. 

Being one of the most open societies and economies, is not only our strength but it also makes us vulnerable. The Belgian vision of security is not only focused on defending our vital interests, but is also strongly connected with values which have democracy, human rights, international solidarity, sustainability, ethical values, peacebuilding & the rule of law at its core. 

And it also means that the internal and external security are highly interconnected, forcing Belgium to rely heavily upon partnerships in general and the EU more specific.

For all these reasons, the Belgian vision of security is comprehensive. It requires an integrated policy approach in which everyone contribute, each from their specific expertise. This is not only a core task for the government, but also a shared social responsibility.