Brussels, 01/03/2004 (Agence Europe) - For or against a single telephone number to report lost and stolen credit and payment cards in Europe? The European Commission has initiated discussion, to end on 30 April, on the establishment of a single, easy-to-remember phone number, which will not replace existing systems. This measure had been announced in the Commission's communication last December on the creation of a single framework for EU payments. Its feasibility is currently being studied in the context of an informal group of service providers and telecommunication operators, the "Card Stop Europe" group).
According to a Eurobarometer survey end 2003, 83% of respondents considered that introducing a single number would be an effective measure, and 50% were willing to pay for such a service, the Commission states in a press release. The consultation text is available on-line at the following address: http: //europa.eu.int/yourvoice/consultations/index_en.htm