Press release

1/12/2008.

First European 112 day

One number for one Europe in case of emergency

The 112, the single European emergency call number appeared within the context of the unique market and the free circulation of people with the aim to provide them with a single access to emergency services all over the Union. Of course implementing a single emergency number is obvious when citizens would need a dictionary to reference all the national numbers of 27 member states! Despites this today a majority of Europeans still do not know the number while 150 millions amongst them are travelling annually within the Union...

11 February 2008 marks the first edition of the European 112 Day with the aims of making sure that Europeans are informed on the European emergency number 112 and that calls to this number need to be appropriately handled. This has been a long road to set up this European 112 Day, but following the success of a Written Declaration signed by 530 Members of the European Parliament, EENA encourages the Commission and the Parliament to work hands in hands and make sure that Europeans are better protected when facing daily emergencies.

While some information campaigns on 112 will be organised in several EU capital cities on the same day, a Press Conference will be held at the European Parliament in Brussels and aim at:

• Informing Europeans on the use of 112 and so bring down false calls
• Developing new ways of informing and educating Europeans to the 112 through www.112.eu EC website (under construction for more than two years)
• Presenting a strategy to make sure that calls to 112 are appropriately handled: launch the 112 Excellence Centre concept
• Providing input to the revision of the Telecom Package

Some MEP's declared:

MEP Jacek Saryusz-Wolski: "The 112 emergency number represents to me the essence of the idea of the European Union - full integration and unity. Every single citizen can dial this number in case of emergency in every single EU member state and receive assistance. In my home town, for example, just recently a 4 year old boy has saved his mother's life by dialling this number. I am very proud that thanks to this initiative the EU can serve its citizens better and make us all feel equally well protected both at home and abroad."

MEP Piia-Noora Kauppi: "The Universal Service Directive provides for the obligation of Member States to «ensure that calls to the single European emergency call number "112" are appropriately answered and handled ...». In Finland we have standards for the maximal intervention time of emergency services, for multilingual support of answering calls and our operators follow an extensive one year training to be able to cope with their stressful job. I hear that in other countries this is not the case. This clearly means that Finnish people and their Scandinavian neighbours who apply similar standards are less well protected when visiting some of the other EU states. This is unacceptable by all means and the Commission should certainly do something about it."

MEP Alexander Alvaro: "All EU citizens should know that the emergency number 112 exists and how to use it. This is necessary in case of an accident and can save lives. At the same time, the proper protection of citizens' privacy in case of unsolicited localisation by law enforcement must prevail and I will see to it that this features in the review of the telecoms regulation currently under way."

MEP Michael Cramer: "The European Emergency Number is a step toward the european integration. The Number provides the same service for the 492 million of european citizens. In this way, equity regarding security for all citizens is better guaranteed."

MEP Kathy Sinnott: "In Europe, there is a single emergency number available in every Member State, the 112. How is it possible than 2/3 of Europeans still do not know a number that can save their lives? Since its creation in 1991, no evaluation has been conducted at European level in order to understand the  loopholes and the needs for improvements. I have been supporting and working on improvements for people with disabilities but in case of emergency we are all  potentially disabled  people. Are children taught how to use the 112? Are emergency services in Europe able to answer their requests? Are they able to send rescue to deaf persons or people speaking another language?"


MEP Stavros Arnaoutakis: "I was one of the first MEPs to support the 112 to the European Commission, since 2004, and I will continue to advocate in my own country too the importance of the assistance that this emergency number can provide. I come from a country that welcomes a significant amount of tourists yearly. It is therefore our duty, to our own citizens too, to do what we can to support and develop 112 in all Europe."

More pictures and the video of the conference available shortly in the afternoon

Venue:

Monday, February 11th, 10.30 a.m.- 11.00 a.m.

Press Room PHS 0A50

European Parliament, Brussels


With the participation of:

MEP Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, EPP-ED
MEP Piia-Noora Kauppi, EPP-ED
MEP Giovanna Corda, PES
MEP Kathy Sinnott, IND/DEM
Dr Demetrios Pyrros, President of the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medecine
Dr Dieter Nuessler, President of the the Federation of the European Union Fire Officers Associations

112 Information Campaign at Brussels International Airport

Location: Brussels Airport (Zaventem)

Actions: Departure terminals A & B (flights within EU)

Hours: from 7am until 4pm

Responsible for the animation: Emmanuel Paul +32/(0)478/43.71.71

Press contacts

European Emergency Number Association:
Olivier PAUL-MORANDINI : +32/(0)475.84.00.82