The security policy situation in Europe requires that coordination and common situational awareness between the actors in total defence receive a high level of attention.
In accordance with the main instructions, the DSB shall support the JD's role in coordinating the total defence. This coordination role means that DSB shall:
- contribute to the further development of the total defence concept
- ensure the best possible coordination between the total defence actors at central and regional/local level, including in matters relating to the National Emergency Preparedness System
- safeguard and further develop the Directorate's cooperation with relevant units in the Armed Forces
- contribute to identifying grey areas, overlapping and unclear powers to the extent that this may be an obstacle to overall societal security work and an effective total defence ;
In addition, DSB has the following more specific tasks:
- Lead the Central Total Defence Forum (STF) together with the Defence Staff. A leadership forum that has become a very important arena for discussing and raising civil-military issues.
- Arrange coordination conferences with total defence as a theme, for example, high-grade cooperation conferences were held with all the STF agencies in addition to the County Governors, Police Districts and the Civil Defence during the Ukraine war, where security policy issues and civil-military cooperation were highlighted and discussed.
- Lead the Agency Forum for Total Defence Affairs (formerly the Project Forum) in which all relevant sector authorities at agency level and the Armed Forces participate and which addresses various relevant issues related to total defence.
- Participate in civil-military exercises (PSGM, CR, etc.), including scenario planning and exercise elements, exercise objectives, competence enhancement and evaluation.
- Participate in the Armed Forces' planning work, including the preparation of a host nation support concept, the conceptual description of civilian support to the Armed Forces upon receipt of, or exercise on receiving allied reinforcements. The DSB is responsible for the preparation of the regional host country support concept.
- Assist JD in the Contact Group for Total Defence Affairs at ministry level.
- Participate and assist in regular regional civil-military cooperation arenas, such as Regional Civil-Military Meetings
- Lead evaluations of civil-military exercises, and contribute to the follow-up of findings and learning points.
- Responsible for preparing guidelines on, and follow-up of, total defence work for regional and local level. This is done through the use of various instruments such as professional meetings, letters of allocation and involvement in exercise activities.
- Responsibility for coordinating the Armed Forces' support to civilian actors (in accordance with regulations).
- Civil protection under the auspices of the Civil Defence.