The Barents Rescue Exercise 2019 was a first step in the new direction from Joint Committee in developing an exercise concept, with a greater focus on learning and networking between international colleagues from operational and strategic emergency organisation to political level. From the planning process to the implementation of the exercise, international colleagues were invited to participate in the joint planning and development of the exercise and evaluation process. Training was offered in After Action Review and in Joint Command and Coordination in common staff methodology. During Event Week, exercise participants had the opportunity to take stock of different activities to increase learning, exchange of joint working methods and current knowledge and research related to exercised core capabilities while networking with different countries, sectors and actors. The Exercise Concept developed for Barents Rescue 2019 provides a good basis for future Barents exercises to build on. It is through exercising jointly and cooperating that the joint capability in the region can strengthen and develop to allow for a well-coordinated collaboration in case of a complex emergency.