Brussels, 11/02/2015 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has criticised the fact that member states did not make any progress with the emergency hot line number 112 in 2014. In a press release published on 11 February during European 112 Day, the Commission said that in 2014, member states made no progress in spotting precisely where people who dial the EU-wide 112-emergency number are located when they place the call and the slow response from the moment the call is made to the moment the emergency services actually respond. This situation was described in a report published by the European Commission during European 112 Day, which called on member states to step up their efforts to rectify these shortcomings.
EPP MEPs Françoise Grossetête and Alain Lamassoure criticised the lack of commitment from member states to fund communication campaigns to promote the 112 number among Europe's citizens. They are concerned about some of the shortcomings affecting this number, such as the fact that only 1 out of 10 people have been able to speak to an operator. The MEPs stated “the majority of them (the operators: Ed) can hold a conversation in several languages but this is not always the case. This is why the communication networks must cooperate with the national emergency numbers to optimise assistance coordination”.
13 European airports and seven European airlines have indicated that they would be taking part in a campaign to promote the 112 number set up by Adina-Ioana Valean MEP (EPP, Romania) and the European Emergency Number Association (EENA). This campaign calls on airports and airlines to promote the emergency number on posters and banners throughout airports and advertising magazines, in an effort to raise awareness amongst travellers. (Isabelle Lamberty)