Brussels, 25/07/2003 (Agence Europe) - In a recommendation, the European Commission invites the Member States to promote the European emergency number, 112, and to develop the telecommunications sector with operators for the automatic localisation of those calling in. The effectiveness of emergency assistance can be greatly increased by systems providing automatic transfer of location information to emergency centres for both fixed and mobile callers. Thus, from 25 July 2003, under the Universal Service Directive 2002/22/EC, fixed and mobile network operators are required to provide caller location information to emergency service centres responding to 112 calls, in a manner best suited to the national organisation of emergency systems and within the technological possibilities of the networks. By end 2004, the Commission will take stock of progress made.