The 112 Newsletter, Issue 27

You can also read this newsletter in your language using Google Translate at http://www.eena.org/preview/en/Media/newsletter/issue_27.html

The EENA organised under the patronage of the Czech EU Presidency a Workshop on 112 on 22 and 23 June in Diegem, Belgium. The aim of the workshop was to share best practices and to propose a roadmap to the EU institutions. A panel session was dedicated to this special topic. Among 90 participants, about 45 representatives from emergency services, public authorities, telecom regulators or mandated private companies from 25 European countries attended the event.

The recommendations prepared during the workshop were then sent to the European Commission in order to contribute to the improvement of the knowledge and functioning of 112.

Following EENA proposal, the regulation on roaming on public mobile telephone networks has been amended. It now provides for information to be sent on mobile phones (within the roaming messages) when citizens travel between EU countries "on the possibility of accessing emergency services by dialling the European emergency number 112 free-of-charge". This should very much contribute to increasing the knowledge of 112. The final text is effective since July 1st, 2009.

 View here the roaming regulation concerning 112 (86KB)

REACH112 kick-off meeting took place on 8 - 9 - 10 July in Diegem, Belgium. EENA is partner of this project that will last 3 years and will implement an accessible alternative to traditional voice telephony that will be suitable for all. While people with disabilities find it hard to communicate with the existing solutions, REACH112 will provide modes of communication so that they will find a way to communicate in each situation, in particular in an emergency, may it be with a live real-time text conversation, with sign language, with lip reading, with voice or with any simultaneous combination of these modes described by the concept of Total Conversation.

For more information, please contact Gary Machado at gm@eena.org

EENA, its Advisory Board's Legal Committee and its 112 Emergency Services Staff Network have been very active in providing expertise to the EU institutions concerning 112 in the framework of the Universal Service Directive's reform. Major improvements concern the access to 112 for people with disabilities and the provision of caller-location for calls to 112. According to the latest compromise, caller-location information will have to be provided "as soon as the call reaches the authority handling the emergency" and "competent regulatory authorities shall lay down criteria for the accuracy and reliability of the location information provided". This concerns landline and mobile phone calls. Due to issues pertaining to internet download, the Universal Service Directive latest version has not yet been accepted.

 View here the latest version of the Universal Service Directive (91KB)

The next Roundtable on 112 in Slovakia will be co-organised by the EENA in collaboration with the Slovak Republic's responsible ministries.

The objectives are:
• To provide national emergency authorities with a roadmap on how to best tackle the problems and challenges related to the implementation and functioning of the European emergency number 112 in their country
• To share experience and best practices with European and international experts.
• To enable national stakeholders to meet and speak up their position.

The debate allows national stakeholders to discuss some issues while benefiting from best practices from European and international experience. Updates on the regulatory framework and existing technological solutions will be presented. The participation of politicians will also enable collaboration for future initiatives. We believe that the roundtable will pave the way to further actions promoting 112 and the tools for its efficient use and functioning.

For more information, please contact Gary Machado at gm@eena.org

The NG112 EENA Technical Committee activities have started in April 2009 and already gather 115 international experts participating to online discussions and bi-weekly conference calls. The objectives of the NG112 EENA Technical Committee are to define the access to and the architecture of IP-based emergency services in the European Union. The committee is chaired by Hannes Tschofenig, also Chairman of the IETF-ECRIT and vice-chaired by Roger Hixson, NENA Technical Issues Director. NENA is actively participating to the NG112 activities and a platform has been set up for document sharing between NG911 Committees and the NG112 EENA Technical Committee.

For more information, please contact Gary Machado at gm@eena.org

The 112 ESSN (network of emergency services and public authorities) already gathers 140 members. Members regularly share information thanks to the 112 ESSN Google Group. Members can also participate to the NG112 EENA Technical Committee activities and are informed on European legislation issues, with possibility to comment on legislative proposals. Many 112 ESSN Members participated to the Workshop on 112 in June and contributed to the recommendations sent to the European Commission.

If you wish to know more and/or join the 112 ESSN Network, please contact Jérôme Pâris at jp@eena.org

Since February 2009 and its creation, the 112 Foundation has been actively working to promote 112. A European 112 logo (officially used by the Slovak Republic since July 2009) and a common graphic line were created as a first step to develop information material on 112. The 112 Foundation is also developing a network of partners supporting the 112 Foundation as well as a network of 112 Ambassadors (the famous singer Monica Anghel is the very new one for Romania) who will contribute to the promotion of 112 in their countries.  

100.000 units of 112 sticker cards were disseminated by a Polish Member of the European Parliament in his country during the European elections. During summer holidays, several European companies organise internal campaigns. Thanks to information materials (article on 112, Sticker cards, posters) provided by the 112 Foundation, several large companies inform their employees on 112. European youth hostels and camping-sites will also participate to education on 112 during summer. In addition, The 112 Foundation has developped a project intending to help schools to inform on safety behaviours and 112.

For more information, please contact Jérôme Pâris at jp@112foundation.eu